Lord Thomas- Stork/McKee (OH) 1939 Eddy B
[From Ballads and Songs from Ohio by Mary Eddy; 1939. Most of these versions are considerably older than 1939.
R. Matteson 2014]
B. Lord Thomas- Stork (OH) 1939 Eddy B--From the manuscript of Mrs. Florence Landis McKee, through Mrs. William Stork, Canton, Ohio.
1. Lord Thomas, he was bold forester,
And a chaser of the King's deer;
Fair Eleanor she was a fine woman,
And Lord Thomas he loved her dear.
2. "Come riddle my riddle, dear mother," he said,
"And riddle us both as one,
Whether I shall marry fair Eleanor,
And let the brown girl alone."
3. "The brown girl she has money, my son,
And fair Eleanor she has none;
Therefore I charge thee on my blessing
Bring the brown girl home."
4. And as it befell on a holiday,
As many more do besides,
Lord Thomas he went to Eleanor
Who should have been his bride.
5. And when he came to fair Eleanor's bower,
He knocked at the ring;
There was no so ready as fair Eleanor,
To let Lord Thomas in.
6. "What news, what news, Lord Thomas," she cried.
"What news hast tho., for me?"
"I come to bid thee to my wedding,
And that is sad news for thee."
7. "Oh, God forbid, Lord Thomas," she cried,
"That such a thing should ever be;
I thought to have been your bride myself,
And thou to have been the bridegroom."
8. "Come riddle my riddle, dear mother," she said,
"And riddle us both in one,
Whether I shall go to Lord Thomas's wedding,
Or whether I shall let it alone.
9. "There is many that are our friends, daughter,
And many that are our foes,
Therefore I charge thee on my blessing,
To Lord Thomas's wedding I go."
10. "There is many that are our friends, mother,
And if a thousand were our foes,
Betide my life, betide my death,
To Lord Thomas's wedding I'll go."
11 She dressed herself in gallant attire,
And her merry men all was seen,
And as she rode through every town,
They took her to be some queen.
12 When she came to Lord Thomas's gate,
She knocked at the ring;
There was none so ready as Lord Thomas
To let fair Eleanor in.
13 He took her by her lily-white hand,
And he led her through the hall,
And sat her in the noblest chair
Among the ladies all.
14 "So this is your bride," fair Eleanor said,
"Methinks she looks wondrous brown;
Thou mights have had as fair a woman
As ever trod upon the ground."
15. "Despise her not," Lord Thomas he said,
"Despise her not unto me;
For better I love her little finger
Than all your whole body."
16. This brown girl had a little penknife
Which was both keen and sharp;
Betwixt the short ribs and the long
She pricked fair Eleanor to the (heart).
17 "Oh, Christ now save me," Lord Thomas he cried'
"Methinks thou looks wondrous wan,
Thou used to look as good a colour
As ever the sun shone on."
18 "Oh, art thou blind, Lord Thomas," she said,
"Or canst thou not very well see?
Dost thou not see my own heart's blood
Run trinkling down my knee?"
19 "Go, dig my grave," Lord Thomas replied,
"Go dig it both wide and deep,
And lay fair Eleanor by my side,
And the brown girl at my feet."
20. Lord Thomas had a sword by (his) side,
As he walked about the hall:
He cut his bride's head from off her shoulders,
And flung it against the wall.
21. He set his sword upon the ground,
The point against his heart;
There never was three surer,
That sooner did depart.