The Brown Girl- Creed (Illinois) pre1938 Neely
[From: Four British Ballads in Southern Illinois by Charles Neely; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 52, No. 203 (Jan. - Mar., 1939), pp. 75-81. Also Tales and Songs of Southern Illinois, p. 136 by Charles Neely, John Webster Spargo 1938;His notes follow.
R. Matteson 2012, 2104]
THE BROWN GIRL- Secured from Mr. William H. Creed, Belleville, Ill., who got it from a manuscript book belonging to Mrs. Clara Walpert also of Belleville. Child, No. 73; Pound, No. 12; Cox, No. 10. "The Brown Girl" corresponds most closely to Variant D of Child and to Variant B of Barry, Eckstorm, Smyth, pp. 131-133.
This Southern Illinois variant of "Lord Thomas and Fair Annet" illustrates Miss Pound's observation that the changes which occur in transmission are not always fortunate. "The Brown Girl" has only nine stanzas, less than half of the D Variant of Child's collection. The whole point of the mother's preferring the Brown girl to Ellinor is lost, for the latter is the one who has house and land. And Lord Thomas is Elender's father, not her suitor. In "The Brown Girl" Fair Ellinor has become Fair Elender-a change which is perhaps proof of the leveling influence of transmission.
"Oh, Mother, dear Mother, will you discourse,
Will you discourse as one?
O shall I marry fair Elender dear,
Or bring the Brown girl home?"
"Fair Elender she has house and land;
The Brown girl she has none;
Therefore, I charge you with my good blessings
To bring the Brown girl home."
He rode unto Lord Thomas' dwelling
And knocked on the ring.
There was no one there as ready as herself
To rise and let him in.
"I've news, I've news," said he,
"I've news to tell to thee.
I've come to invite you to my wedding today."
"That's very bad news to me."
He took fair Elender by the hand;
He led her through the hall
And set her down at the head of the table
Among the gentry all.
The Brown girl having a knife in her hand,
And it was long and sharp,
She pierced it under fair Elender's arm,
And pierced it through her heart.
"Fair Elender dear, and what is the matter?"
"O, can't you very well see;
Oh, can't you see my own heart's blood
A-trickling to my knee?"
He took the Brown girl by the hand
And led her through the hall,
Took down his sword, cut off her head
And threw it against the wall.
He turned his sword unto his breast,
And on it he did say,
"Here is an end to two true lovers.
God send they're gone to rest."