Lord Thomas & the Brown Girl- Laughlin (Mo.) 1928 Randolph B
[From Vance Randolph's Ozark Folksongs, vol. 1- Ballads, 1946.
R. Matteson 2012, 2014]
B. Lord Thomas and the Brown Girl- Sung by Miss Rosa Laughlin, Jane, Mo., Jan. 11, 1928. Miss Laughlin says that the
"right name" of this ballad is "Lord Thomas and the Brown Girl." Randolph B
Come read to me your health, mother,
Come tell to me your love,
It's must I marry fair Ellender
Or bring the brown girl home?
The Brown girl she has houses an' lands,
Fair Ellender she has none,
It will pay you a blessin', my dearest son,
Go bring the brown girl home.
Go saddle me up my milk-white steed,
Go saddle her up, I pray,
I'll go an' invite fair Ellender
To attend to my wedding day.
He rode till he come to the pore man's gate,
He tingled at the ring,
There was none so ready as fair Ellender
To rise an' let him in.
Oh what's the news, Lord Thomas, she says,
Oh what's the news for me?
I've always expected to be your bride,
An' you my bridegroom should be.
Come read to me your health, mother,
Come tell to me your love,
It's must_I go to Lord Thomas's wedding
Or must I tarry at home?
!f you ain't goin' to be his bride,
I'm sure he has gone wrong.
It will pay you a blessin', my dearest daughter,
Oh daughter, to tarry at home.
Go bring my pony from the stall,
An' saddle her up, I pray,
I'll risk my life an' venture death,
To Lord Thomas's wedding I'll go.
She rode an' she rode till she come to the hall,
She tingled at the ring,
There was none so ready as Lord Thomas himself
To rise an' let her in.
He took her by her lily white hand
An' led her acrost the hall,
He set her down at the head of the table
Amongst the ladies all.
Is this your bride, I pray you tell,
I'm sure she is quite brown,
You could a of wed as fair a young lady
As ever the sun shone on!
The brown girl she took out her knife,
It was both keen an' sharp,
An' with one strong an' bold approach
She pierced fair Ellender's heart.
Oh what's the matter? Lord Thomas he cried,
Oh what's the matter? says he.
It's don't you see my own heart's blood
Go a-tricklin' down from me?
He took the brown girl by the hand
An' led her acrost the hall,
He out with his sword an' cut off her head,
An' stones it against the wall.
He put the handle to the wall,
The point against his breast,
Sayin' here is the end of three true lovers,
God send their souls to rest.
Go dig my grave both deep an' wide,
Go dig it wide an' deep,
An' bury fair Ellender in my arms,
An' the brown girl at my feet.