Sweet William and Fair Ellender- Griffin (GA-FL) 1877 Morris
[From: Folksongs of Florida; Morris, 1950. This is originally a Georgia version. Griffin was born in Dooly County, Georgia in 1863. In 1877 she moved to Newberry, Florida. She learned songs from her father, a fiddler, before 1877.
R. Matteson 2014]
"Sweet William and Fair Ellender." Recorded from the singing of Mrs.G. A. Griffin, Newberry, who learned the song from her father.
One morning, one morning, in the month of May
The leaves looked green and gay.
Sweet William he hung his bugle around his neck,
And so he went riding away.
Sweet William he hung his bugle around his neck,
And so he went riding away.
He rode, and he rode to fair Ellender's hall
O, he had but a few words for to say,
Saying, "Are you asleep, or are you awake
And ready to go with me?"
Saying, "Are you asleep, or are you awake
And ready to go with me?"
Fair Ellen she rose and slipped on her clothes,
So ready to go with him;
Fair Ellen she rose and slipped on her clothes,
So ready to go with him.
Fair Ellen she rose and slipped on her clothes,
So ready to go with him.
He put her on the milk-white steed,
And mounted his bantering bay;
Sweet William he hung his bugle around his neck,
And so he went riding away.
Sweet William he hung his bugle around his neck,
And so he went riding away.
He rode and he rode to her father's hall;
He hadn't but a few words to say,
"Take care of your oldest daughter,
For your youngest one's carrying away.
Take care of your oldest daughter,
For your youngest one's carrying away."
"O, rise you up, you seven sons,
And take fair Ellender down;
For it never can be said in old England
That he carried her all out of the town.
For it never can be said in old England
That he carried her all out of the town."
"It's light, it's light, fair Ellender," he said,
"And hold my horse in hand,
Till I go play with your father and seven dear brothers,
On yonder landed strand.
Till I go play with your father and seven brothers
On yonder landed strand."
He put her on his milk-white steed,
He mounted the bantering[1] bay;
Sweet William he hung his bugle around his neck,
And so he went riding away.
Sweet William he hung his bugle around his neck,
And so he went riding away.
He looked back, hit's[2] once or twice;
He looked back again,
And he saw her father and seven dear brothers
All wallowing in their blood.
And she saw her father and seven dear brothers
All wallowing in their blood.
He rode and he rode to his mother's hall
He did have but a few words for to say,
"Oh Mother, oh Mother, come make my bed down,
For you'll surely not do it no more.
Oh Sister, oh Sister, come do up my wounds,
For you'll surely not do it no more."
1. cantering, or maybe the horse talked.
2. Countryfied, "it's." Especially popular with Niles, the "h" aspirate.