Pretty Polly- (KY) 1916 Wyman-Brockway
[No informant named. From: Lonesome Tunes: Folk Songs from the Kentucky Mountains by Wyman-Brockway; 1916. Mainly this is the standard text. Stanza 1 is similar the Gosport openings. Stanza 2 is similar to Dock Boggs 1927 opening stanza.
The first line is usually repeated. Wyman collected a second text that was published in 1920, Twenty Kentucky Mountain Songs.
R. Matteson 2016]
Pretty Polly
I. In London far city a lady did dwell,
Concerning her beauty no tongue can tell.
II. I courted pretty Polly, the livelong night,
And then just to rob her before daylight.
III. "Come home, pretty Polly, and go along with me,
Before we got married some pleasure we'll see."
IV. He led her over hills and through valleys so deep,
At last pretty Polly began for to weep.
V. "Willy, O Willy, I'm afraid of your ways,
I'm a-feared you're leading my body astray."
VI. She trusted him a piece further and what did she spy,
But a new dug grave, two spades a-lying by.
VII. "Polly, pretty Polly, you're guessing just right,
I've finished your grave I was digging last night."
VIII. She threw her arms around him and trembled with fear,
"How can you kill a poor girl that loves you so dear?"
IX "No time for to talk, no time for to stand,"
He came with his knife all in his right hand--
X. He stabbed her to the heart and the heart blood did flow,
Down in her grave pretty Polly must go.
XI. He throw the sod over her and turned to go home,
And left little birds to weep and to mourn.