Pretty Polly- Peyton (WV) c1865 Cox C
[From Folk-Songs of the South; Cox, 1925; Cox's notes follow.
R. Matteson 2014]
LADY ISABEL AND THE ELF KNIGHT (Child, No. 4)
This ballad is known in West Virginia as "Pretty Polly," "Six Kings' Daughters," "The King's Daughter," "The False Lover," and "The Salt-Water Sea." Nine variants have been recovered.
For American variants see Child, M, 496 (Virginia; from Babcock, Folk-Lore Journal, VIII, 28) ; Journal, XVIII, 132 (Barry; Massachusetts) ; XIX, 232 (Belden; Missouri); XXII, 65 (Beatty; Wisconsin), 76 (Barry; New Jersey, tune only),
374 (Barry; Massachusetts; from Ireland; also readings from other texts); XXVI, 374 (Mackenzie; Nova Scotia; cf. Quest of the Ballad, pp. 93, 174, 183); xxiv, 2) 33, 344 (Barry; Massachusetts and Illinois; from Irish sources); XXXVII, 90 (Gardner; Michigan); xxviii, 148 (Perrow; North Carolina); xxxv, (Tolman and Eddy; Ohio); Wyman and Brockway, p. 82 (Kentucky); Campbell and Sharp, No. 2 (Massachusetts, North Carolina, Kentucky, Georgia); Focus, IV, 161, 212 (Virginia); Child MSS., xxi, 4 (4, 6); Minish MS. (North Carolina). In Charley Fox's Minstrel's Companion (Philadelphia, Turner & Fisher), p. 52, may be found "Tell-Tale Polly. Comic Ballad. (As sung by Charley Fox.) "
For references to American versions, see Journal, xxix, 156, note, 157; xxx, 286. Add Shearin and Combs, p. 7; Bulletin, Nos. 6-10. For recent British references see Journal, xxxv, 338; Campbell and Sharp, p. 323.
C. "Pretty Polly." Communicated by Mrs. Anna Copley, Shoals, Wayne County, December 19, 1915; dictated by her cousin Mr. Burwell Luther, who learned it from his mother about fifty years ago. Mrs. Luther's name was Julia Stephenson. She learned it from her mother, whose maiden name was Peyton. The Peytons were English and the Stephensons were Highland Scotch. The Luthers and Stephensons have lived in Wayne County for over a century, the latter having come from Georgia.
1 He followed me up and he followed me down,
He followed me all the day;
I had not the power to speak one word,
Or a tongue to answer nay.
2 "Go bring me some of your father's gold
And some of your mother's fee,
And I will take you to fair Scotland,
And there I'll marry thee."
3 She brought him some of her father's gold
And some of her mother's fee;
She took him to her father's barn,
Where the horses stood thirty and three.
4 "Mount on, mount on that brownie, brownie bay,
And I on the dapple gray,
And we'll ride away through the lonesome woods
Three long hours before it is day."
5 She mounted on the brownie, brownie bay,
And he on the dapple gray,
And they rode away through the lonesome woods
Till they came to the deep blue sea.
6 "Dismount, dismount from your brownie, brownie bay,
And I off the dapple gray;
Six pretty fair maids I have drowned here
And the seventh one you shall be."
7 "O hold your tongue, you villain!" she said,
"O hold your tongue!" said she;
"You promised to take me to bonny Scotland
And there to marry me."
8 "Take off, take off those fine clothing,
Take off, take off," said he;
"For they are too costly and too fine
To be rotted in the sea."
9 "O turn your body round and about
To view the leaves on the tree;
'T is a pity such a villain as you
A naked woman should see."
10 He turned his body round and about
To view the leaves on the tree;
She clasped him tight in her arms so white
And plunged him into the sea.
11. "Lie there, lie there, you villain," she said,
"Lie there instead of me!
Six pretty fair maids you have drowned here,
And the seventh one has drowned thee."
12 She jumped upon her brownie, brownie bay
And led the dappled gray,
And she returned home to her father's house,
Two long hours before it was day.
13 "O where have you been, my pretty Collin,
So long before it is day?"
"I have been to drown that false-hearted man,
That strove to drown poor me."
14 "O hold your tongue, my pretty Polly,
Don't tell no tales on me,
And your cage shall be made of glittering gold,
Instead of the greenwood tree."
15 "The old cat came to my cage door,
Intending to weary[1] me,
And I had to call on pretty Collin,
To drive the old cat away."
16 "Well turned, well turned, my pretty little bird,
Well turned, well turned!" said she;
"And your nest shall be made of leaves of gold,
Instead of the green willow tree."
1. For worry.