Lord Thomas- (VA) c.1947; Leach; 1950 JOAFL
[Fragment from Songs from Rappahannock County, Virginia by MacEdward Leach and Horace P. Beck; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 63, No. 249 (Jul. - Sep., 1950), pp. 257-284. Their notes follow.
R. Matteson 2012, 2014]
"Lord Thomas" ("Lord Thomas and Fair Annet") (Child 73)
Greatly compressed, the song emphasizes only the riddle portion of the ballad. It is interesting to note in this, as in other ballads, the rationalization of the language and the fossilization of words where their meaning has become lost as in "he tangled all at the ring." A. K. Davis, Jr., Traditional Ballads of Virginia, p. 191. (W.H.M.) i. 693.
1. Lord Thomas abeing a bold young man,
The keeper of King's Hall.
Fair Eleanor being as fair skinned girl,
As ever the sun shined on,
As ever the sun shined on.
2. Come riddle, dear Mother, come riddle,
Come riddle us both in one.
It's must I marry fair Eleanor alone,
Or bring the Brown Girl home?
Or bring the Brown Girl home?
3. "The Brown Girl she has house and lands,
Fair Ellen, she has none.
And I would advise you, my good Will,
To bring the Brown Girl home,
To bring the Brown Girl home."
4. He saddled his horse,
He bridled it well,
Put on his finger ring.
And every city that he rode through,
He was taken to be some King,
He was taken to be some King.
5. He rode to Fair Ellen's Hall.
He tangled all at the ring.
And none so ready, but Fair Ellen herself,
To rise and let him in,
To rise and let him in.
6. "What news, what news, have you brought me?
What news, what news," said she.
"I've come to ask you to my weddin'.
Bad news, bad news," said he.
"Bad news, bad news," said he.