Lord Thomas- Underhill (Ind.) 1936 Brewster A
[From Brewster: Ballads and Songs of Indiana; 1940. His notes follow.
R. Matteson 2012, 2014]
10. LORD THOMAS AND FAIR ANNET (Child, No. 73)
Eight texts of this ballad have been recovered in Indiana under the following titles: "Lord Thomas," "The Brown Girl," "Fair Eleanor," "Lord Thomas's Wedding," and "Lord Thomas and Fair Eleanor." All belong to the D group of Child, and tell substantially the same story. The hero is in a quandary as to which he shall wed, Fair Eleanor or the brown girl, and takes the problem to his mother. As the brown girl has house and land and Fair Eleanor has none, the advice of the mother is for him to marry the former. He dresses himself in gorgeous attire and with his attendants rides to the home of Fair Eleanor, whom he invites to his wedding. After his departure she asks her mother's advice about attending. The mother advises her to stay at home where she will be among friends, but Fair Eleanor is determined to go. She dresses in fine array, takes her maids with her, and goes to Lord Thomas's hall. He himself admits her, leads her through the hall, and gives her the seat of honor. During the festivities she comments scornfully upon the brown complexion of the bride-to-be. The brown girl overhears her, and stabs Fair Eleanor with a penknife. After a time Lord Thomas notices the pallor of the latter, inquires as to the reason for it, and is told that he must be blind not to see the heart's blood trickling down her knee. When he realizes what has happened, he draws his sword and cuts off the brown girl's head, throws it against the wall, and then uses the sword to kill himself. Dying, he requests that Fair Eleanor be buried in his arms and the brown girl at his feet.
For American texts, see Barry, No. 2; Belden, No. 4 (fragment); Brown, p. 9; Campbell and Sharp, No. 16; Hudson, No. 10; Hudson, Folksongs, p. 78; Journal, XVIII, 128; XIX, 235; XX, 254; XXVII, 71 (melody only) ; XXVIII, 152; XXIX, 159; XXXIX, 94; XLII, 262; Cox, p. 45; Pound, Ballads, p. 27; Barry, Eckstorm, and Smyth, p. 139; Davis, p. 240 (fifteen variants, including fragments) and p. 573 (airs); Greenleaf and Mansfield, p. 18; Mackenzie, Ballads, p. 20; McGill, p. 28; Sandburg, p. 157; Shoemaker, p. 155; Scarborough, Song Catcher, p. 106; Shearin, p. 3; Shearin and Combs, p. 8; Thomas, p. 88; Wyman and Brockway, Songs, p. 14; Flanders and Brown, p. 209; Fuson, p. 49; Mackenzie, p. 97; Folk-Iaore Journal, VII, 33; Smith and Rufty, American Anthology of Old-World Ballads, p. 17; PTFLS, X, 144; Henry, Folk-Songs from the Southern Highlands, p. 60; Henry, Songs Sung in the Southern Appalachians, p. 41; Neely, Tales and Songs of Southern Illinois, pp. 136-37; Cambiaire, East Tennessee and Western Virginia Mountain Ballads, pp. 34-36, 115-16.
A. "Lord Thomas." Contributed by Dr. Claude Lomax, of Dale, Indiana. Secured from a MS of Mrs. Earl Underhill. Perry County. January 24, 1936.
1. "O Mother, O Mother, come riddle my story;
Come riddle it both as one,
Whether I should marry fair Ellendar
Or bring the Brown Girl home."
2. "The Brown Girl she has house and land;
Fair Ellendar she has none.
Therefore I charge you with my best presence [1],
Go bring the Brown Girl home."
3. He dressed his waiters in highland[2] so white,
Himself in the terrors[3] of green,
And every bar[4] that he rode through
They took him to be some king.
4. He rode till he came to Fair Ellendar's gate;
He jingled at the ring;
And who was so ready as Fair Ellendar herself
To rise and let him in?
5. "What news, what news, Lord Thomas?" she cried;
"What news have you brought to me?"
"I have come to invite you to my wedding;
Sad news it will be to thee."
6. "O Mother, O Mother, come riddle my story;
Come riddle it both as one,
Whether I should go to Lord Thomas's wedding
Or stay and tarry at home."
7. "You may have friends, you may have none;
You have foes where'er you go;
Therefore I charge you with my best presence
To Lord Thomas's wedding don't go."
8. She dressed her waiters in highland so white,
Herself in the terrors of green,
And every bar that she rode through
They took her to be some queen.
9. She rode till she came to Lord Thomas's gate;
She jingled at the ring.
And who was so ready as Lord Thomas himself
To rise and let her in?
10. He took her by the lily-white hand
And led her through the hall;
He placed her at the head of the table,
Among the ladies all.
11. "Is this your bride, Lord Thomas?" she said;
"I think she looks wonderful brown;
You once could have wed as fair a bride
As ever the sun shone on.'
12. The Brown Girl she had a knife in her hand;
It was both keen and sharp.
She pierced Fair Ellendar in the side,
Intending for her heart.
13. "O what's the matter, Fair Ellendar?" he said;
"I think you look wonderful pale.
You once had two as rosy red cheeks
Ever my eyes beheld."
14. "O are you blind, Lord Thomas ?" she said;
"Or can't you very well see?
For now I feel my own heart's blood
Come tinkling[5] o'er my knee."
15. Lord Thomas he had a long broadsword;
It was both keen and sharp.
He cut off his own bride's head
And throwed it against the wall.
16. "Dear Mother, dear Mother, go dig my grave;
Go dig it both wide and deep.
And bury Fair Ellendar in my arms,
The Brown Girl at my feet."
17. He turned the heel[6] unto the wall,
The point unto his breast,
Saying, "Here is the end of three true lovers;
Lord, take us home to rest!"
Footnotes:
1 For blessing.
2 Hollands.
3. Probably for terries, a kind of fabric.
4. For borough.
5 For trickling.
6. For hait