Purty Polly- Dave Couch (KY) 1952 Roberts
[From: Sang Branch Settlers, Roberts, 1974.
The appearance of Purt Polly at the end is by her ghost.
R. Matteson 2016]
Purty Polly- Sung by Dave Couch, vocal with banjo, near Putney, Kentucky in 1952.
1. Come on, Purty Polly and go with me,
Come on, Purty Polly and go with me,
Before we get married some pleasure we'll see.
2. O Willy, O Willy, I'm afeard of your ways,
O Willy, O Willy, I'm afeard of your ways,
Afeard that you will leave my pore body a slave.
3. He led her over the hills and the valleys so deep,
He led her over the hills and the valleys so deep,
Purty Polly got dishearted and agin to weep.
4. He went a piece furder, what do you spy?
He went a piece furder, what do you spy?
A new-dug grave and a spade a-layin' by.
5. She threw her arms around him saying, "Willie, my dear,"
she threw her arms around him saying, "Willie, my dear,"
How can you kill the only friend you've got here?"
6. "No time to study, no time to stand,
No time to study, no time to stand,"
He come with his knife all in his right hand.
7. He stobbed her to the heart and the blood agin to flow,
He stobbed her to the heart and the blood agin to flow,
Down in the grave purty Polly did go.
8. He threw dirt over her and on he did go,
He jumped on his boat and on did he row,
His boat struck a rock, to the bottom it did go.
9. Now where's Pruty Polly? O yander she stands,
Now where's Purty polly? Over yander she stands,
Them rings on her fingers, her lily white hands[1].
10. What a debt to the Devil pore Willie'll have to pay,
What a debt to the Devil pore Willie'll have to pay,
For killin' Purty Polly and runnin' away.
1. This stanza, occurring after her death, is the appearance of Polly's ghost.