The Pretty Collee- Higgins (Missouri) 1929
[From Vance Radolph's Ozark Folksongs; Volume 1- Ballads; 1946; The names Collee, Colendee, Colvin, Collean, Collenendee, Goldan, Goldin, are slang words for the Irish word, cailin, meaning "girl," "girlfriend" or "lover." (Barry 1909)
R. Matteson 2011, 2014]
B. THE PRETTY COLLEE- Evangeline Higgins Pineville, Missouri 1929 Randolph, Ozark Folksongs. Volume I, British Ballads; learned from her grandmother.
Arise, arise pretty Collee,
Arise an' come with me.
An' to the land of Scotland go,
An' married there we'll be.
She then took all her father's gold,
Likewise her mother's fee,
She took two steeds out of their stalls
Where they stood thirty by three.
She mounted then her bonnie, bonnie Bird,
An' he the dapple gray,
They rode an' they rode to the sweet water side
Three long hours 'fore 'twas day.
Light off, light off, my pretty fair maid,
Light off, light off, says he,
There's six king's daughters in this sea
An' you the seventh shall be!
But first take off that costly ring
An' give it unto me,
I would think it a shame such a costly ring
To be moulderin' in the sea.
As he stood for to look around,
To view the grass an' trees,
She picked him up right manfully
An' throwed him into the sea.
Lie there, lie there, you false-hearted wretch,
Lie there, lie there, says she,
If six king's daughters you've drownded here
The seventh has drownded thee.
So back she rode her bonnie, bonnie Bird,
An' led the dapple gray,
She rode till she come to her father's gate
Just one hour 'fore 'twas day.
She then put back her father's gold,
Likewise her mother's fee,
She put the steeds back in their stalls
Where they stood thirty by three.
Just then the parrot bird awoke
An' from his cage did call,
Sayin' pretty Collee, what makes you wake
So long afore 'tis day?
Oh birdie, oh birdie, you hold your tongue,
Don't tell no tales on me;
I'll make you a cage of ivory,
An' give ores of gold to thee.
Just then her father he woke up,
An' from his room did call,
Sayin' Polly, oh Polly, what makes you wake
So long afore 'tis day?
The old gray cat come to my cage
An' tried for to weary me,
An' I called pretty Collee up to drive
The old gray cat away!