Queen's Own Yard- (BAH) pre1928 Parsons
[My title. From: Spirituals and Other Folklore from the Bahamas by Elsie Clews Parsons; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 41, No. 162 (Oct. - Dec., 1928), pp. 453-524. The first two stanzas are introductory and don't fit the ballad form.
R. Matteson 2015]
BALLAD [Queen's Own Yard] - Sung by an unidentified singer on Cat Island, c. 1926.
Dere is many fine ladies
Dere is many putty yellow girl
I was cou'tin' my time.
Ladies, ladies, gentle and all,
I will sing you a fine song
Of a noble school boy.
One day one day I war camin' from school,
I bounced my ball so high,
I bounced my ball in de queen own yard,
No one could hear when it fall.
Come in, come in, my brave young boy,
Come in come get yer ball.
Oh no, oh no, I cyant come in
Except my shipmate follow.
She showed me an apple was green as grass,
She showed me an' ol' gold ring,
She showed me a cherry red as a rose.
Dat did entice me in.
She sat me down on t'ree ol' chairs.
She pas' me down wid pas'.
With a basin of water rubbed my feet
Ter ketch my blood when it spill.
Oh, do, young woman, spare my life,
Do spare my life little longer.
If I ever live ter grow a man,
I would marry to Barbary Ellen.
Oh no, oh no, said she,
I wouldn' spare your life no longer.
If you only live to grow a man,
You will marry to some one oder.
Do put a bible at mah feet,
A prayer book at mah head.
If any my schoolmates you do meet,
Do tell him I've gone ter sleep.
Ditto to my big toe
You know where grass grow.