Lord Thomas- Nora Hicks (NC) c1939 Walker/Brown
[From MS in the Abrams collection; partially given in The Brown Collection of NC Folklore; Vol. 4, 1957, as version A(1)- see music at bottom of the page. Some of this version was recorded in 1940 by Abrams. Nora did not sing the first stanza (not in Jane Hicks Gentry or Alice Hicks either) for Edith Walker- it's transcribed below from the recording. Complete text from Edith Walker's MS is at bottom of this page. I've corrected minor spelling and listening errors.
This was collected by Edith Walker around 1939. The MS has written "One I collected from Mrs. Nora Hicks." Nora is a member of the Mast's Gap Hicks (or Mast Gap Hicks) family. They settles in an area named after John Mast. Nora's grandmother (same generation as Council Harmon of Hicks Harmon family) Fannie Hicks apparently bestowed all her ballads on Nora. Nora's daughter Addie wrote down some texts and this could be Nora's version from Addie, since apparently Nora could not write.
This can be considered the Hicks/Harmon version. We have full versions from Sam Harmon, Jane Hicks Genrty, Alice Hicks and Nora Hicks.
R. Matteson 2014]
Lord Thomas- Mrs. Nora Hicks, 1939, recorded in 1940; Brown Vol. 4, A(1). Written most likely by Addie Hicks from her mother's singing. The first stanza is missing in the MS and is found on the recording- see music below.
1. Lord Thomas he being a bold young man,
A keeper of our king's deer,
Fair Ellen she being a clever young woman,
Lord Thomas he loved her dear.
2. "Come tell to me dear mother," he said,
"Come tell to me your desire,
Whether I will marry fair Ellen or not[1],
Or bring the brown girl home?"
3. The brown girl she has house and land,
Fair Ellen she has none.
I'll bid you a blessing, my own dear song,
Pray bring me the Brown girl home.
4. He dressed his merry maids all in blue,
Himself all in white,
And every town that they rode through,
They took him to be a lord or knight.
5. He rode till he come to Fair Ellen's gate,
He dangled at the ring[2]
No one was as ready (as) Fair Ellen herself,
To rise and let him come in.
6. "What news what news, Lord Thomas?" she said,
What news have you brought unto me?"
"No news, no news, Fair Ellen," he said,
Only to ask you to my wedding."
7. "Bad news, bad news, Lord Thomas," she said,
Bad news you have brought unto me,
For I expected to be the bride myself
The bridegroom you for to be."
8. "Come tell to me dear mother," she said,
"Come tell to me your desire,
Whether to go to Lord Thomas' wedding,
Or stay at home with you."
9. Great many of your friends will be there,
And great many more of your foes,
I'll do you a blessing my own dear child,
Pray stay at home with me."
10. Great many of my friends will be there,
And great many more of my foes,
But be me dead or be me (a)live,
(To) Lord Thomas' wedding I'll go."
11. dressed his merry maids all in white,
Himself she dressed in green,
And every town that they rode through,
They took her to be some queen.
12. She rode till he come to Lord Thomas gate,
He dangled at the ring[2]
No one was as ready (as) Lord Thomas himself,
To rise and let her come in.
13. He took her by her lily- white hand
He led her through rooms and rooms[3],
He lead her to his own bedside
And sat himself down by she.
14. "Is that your bride, Lord Thomas?" she said,
I think she looks wonderful brown,
Where once you might (have) had as fair (a) lady,
As ever the sun shoe on.
15. "Oh hold your tongue, fair Ellen," he said,
"Throw none of your faults on me.
I like the tip end of your little finger,
Better than her whole body."
16. The brown girl had a little pen knife,
Which was made of metal so sharp,
She gave fair Ellen a deathly blow,
And pierced he to the heart.
17. "What is the matter, Fair Ellen?" he aid,
'I think you look wonderful pale,
Where once your check was as red as a rose,
But now your color has fail(ed)."
18. "It's I ain't blind[4] Fair Ellen," he said,
And I can very well see,
You own heart's blood,
Come trickling[5] down your knee?"
19. Lord Thomas he has a three-edged sword[6],
Which was made with metal so free,
He took and cut off the brown girl's head,
And threw it against a tree.
20. "A grave, a grave dear mother," he said,
"Go make it both wide and deep,
And lay Fair Ellen in my arms,
And the brown girl at my feet."
1. original has "Where you will marry. . ." it should be "I".
2. original has "bell" cf. Jane Hicks Gentry
3. through chamber's three, cf. Alice Hicks
4. MS is missing "blind" and makes no sense
5. MS has trainkling, Cf. Alice Hicks
6. Cf. Alice Hicks
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A(1) 'Lord Thomas and Fair Annet.' Sung by Mrs. Nora Hicks. Recorded at Mast's Gap, Watauga county, August 28, 1940. Also entitled 'Lord Thomas and Fair Ellinger.' With one minor exception measures 1, 3, and 4 are identical with those of the Miller, Greer, Cooke, and Brown versions. In the Greer version even measure 5 is identical melodically.
For melodic relationship cf. *SharpK i 115, No. 19A, measures 1-4; TBV 570, No. 18R; FSOA 108, measure 1.
Scale: Mode III, plagal. Tonal Center: g. Structure: aa1a2a3 (2,2,2,2) = aa1 (4,4). Circular Tune (V).
This song shows an interesting use of the melodic material. Measures 3-4 are a contraction of 1-2. The second half of the first measure is omitted in the third, but this resulting deficiency is made up by lengthening the values in the fourth. The following two measures (5-6) basically represent a varied repetition of the two preceding them, well exemplifying the general tendency towards balance and also characteristic of musical expression. This is here accomplished by compensating for any upward movement with one in the opposite direction and vice versa. This can be observed up to the end of the song. The limited tonal material certainly has been used to the best advantage. This is particularly noteworthy when it is realized that these creations are not the product of a highly trained musical imagination.