Pretty Polly- Mrs. Levi Langille/ John Langille /David Rogers (Compilation from three singers) Nova Scotia; 1909
[Taken from: Three Ballads from Nova Scotia by W. Roy Mackenzie; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 23, No. 89 (Jul. - Sep., 1910), pp. 371-380. Footnotes added at the end.
The individual ballads are included in Ballads and Sea Songs from Nova Scotia by Mackenzie, 1928 and have been included in this collection under Pretty Polly (NS) pre1910 Mackenzie A-C.
R. Matteson 2011; 2014]
PRETTY POLLY
The following version of "Lady Isabel and the Elf-Knight " (Child, No. 4, H) is made up chiefly of the versions of two reciters, though a third one comes in with variants on two of the stanzas. The basis of this version, as of "Little Matha Grove," is a recitation by Mrs. Levi Langille (A). The ballad, as given by Mrs. Langille, was very defective in parts; but when it was read to John Langille (B), who could not sing or repeat it on his own initiative, it stimulated his memory to the production of a large part of the ballad as he had formerly sung it. Ten out of the seventeen stanzas in the main text which follows were contributed by him, while the corresponding parts by Mrs. Langille, being less complete, are relegated to the footnotes. Finally, variants on two of the stanzas were given by David Rogers of River John (C). The text is made up as follows: 1-4, from B; 5-8, from A; 9, from B; 10-12, from A; 13-I7, from B. The variants of C are given in the footnotes. Every word obtained from any of the reciters may be found in the text or notes. These collections were also made during August and September, 1909.
B. 1. There was a lord in Ambertown,
He courted a lady gay,
And all he wanted of this pretty maid
Was to take her life away.[1]
2. "Go get me some of your father's gold,
And some of your mother's fee,
And two of the best nags out of the stable,
Where there stands thirty and three."
3. She went and got some of her father's gold,
And some of her mother's fee,
And two of the best nags out of the stable,
Where there stood thirty and three.
4. She mounted on the milk-white steed,
And he on the rambling gray,
And they rode till they came to the salt sea-side,
Three hours before it was day.
A. 5. "Light off, light off , thy steed white milk,
And deliver it unto me,
For six pretty maids I have drownded here,
And the seventh one thou shalt be.
6. "Take off, take off, thy bonny silk plaid,
And deliver it unto me,
Methinks they are too rich and too gay
To rot in the salt, salt sea." [2]
7. "If I must take off my bonny silk plaid,
Likewise my golden stays,
You must turn your back around to me,
And face yon willow-tree."
8. He turned himself around about
To face yon willow-tree.
She grasped him by the middle so tight,
And she tumbled him in the sea.
B. 9. "Lie there, lie there, you false-hearted man!
Lie there instead of me!
For six pretty maids thou hast drownded here.
Go keep them company."
A. 10. So he rolled high and he rolled low,
Till he rolled to the sea-side.
"Stretch forth your hand, my pretty Polly,
And I'll make you my bride."
11. "Lie there, lie there, you false-hearted man!
Lie there instead of me!
For six pretty maids thou hast drownded here,
But the seventh hath drownded thee."
12. She mounted on her steed white milk,
And she led her dappling gray,
And she rode forward to her father's door
An hour before it was day.
B. 13. The parrot being up so early in the morn,
It unto Polly did say,
"I was afraid that some ruffian
Had led you astray."
14. The old man on his pillow did lie,
He unto the parrot did say,
"What ails you, what ails you, you pretty Poll parrot,
You prattle so long before day? " [3]
15. "The old cat was at my cage door,
And I was afraid he was going to eat me,
And I was calling for pretty Polly
To go drive the old cat away." [4]
I6. "Well turned, well turned, my pretty Poll parrot!
Well turned, well turned!" said she.
"Your cage it shall be of the glittering gold,
And the doors of ivory.
17. "No tales, no tales, my pretty Poll parrot,
No tales you will tell on me.
Your cage it shall be of the glittering gold,
And hung on yon willow-tree." [5]
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Footnotes:
1. The first four stanzas, in which I follow B, are thus represented in A (which has no equivalent of stanza 3): -
There was a lord in Ambertown
Courted a lady fair,
And all he wanted of this pretty fair maid
Was to take her life away.
"Go get me some of your father's gold,
And some of your mother's fees,
And two of the best horses in your father's stall,
Where there stands thirty and three."
So she mounted on her steed white milk,
And he on his dappling gray,
And they rode forward to the sea
Two hours before it was day.
2. B rendered this stanza thus: -
"Take off, take off, thy silken dress,
Likewise thy golden stays.
Methinks they are too rich and too gay
To rot in the salt, salt seas."
3 C rendered the stanza thus:-
The parrot was up in the window high,
And heard what she did say.
"Where have you been, my pretty Polly,
That you 're out so long before day ?"
2 A rendered the stanza thus:--
The old man he, its being awoke,
And he heard all that was said.
"What were you prittling and prattling, my pretty Polly,
And keeping me awake all night long ?"
4. A and C each had a separate version of this stanza. A's version is:-
"The old cat had got up to my littock so high,
And I was afraid she was going to eat me,
And I was calling for pretty Polly
To go drive the old cat away."
C's version runs thus:--
"The old cat was at my cage door,
And swore she would devour me,
And I was calling for fair MacConnel
To hiss the cat away."
C supposed that the "fair MacConnel" was a servant.
5. These two concluding stanzas are represented, in A's version, by the one stanza:-
"Don't prittle, don't prattle, my pretty Polly,
Nor tell any tales on me.
Your cage shall be made of the glittering gold
Instead of the greenwood tree."