The Brown Girl- Johnson (AR) 1958 Majors/Parler
[From Ozark Folksong Collection- Reel 266, Item 10, Collected by Frances Majors for Mary C. Parler.
R. Matteson 2014]
The Brown Girl- Sung by Mrs. Parker Johnson of Route 1, West Fork, Arkansas. December 20, 1958.
Oh, Mother, oh, Mother, come riddle this boat[1],
Come riddle it as one;
Whether I should marry Fair Eleanor
Or bring the Brown Girl home.
The Brown Girl has both house and land
Fair Eleanor has none;
So I would advise you as a friend
To bring the Brown Girl home.
Go saddle up my little white steed,
Go saddle him in haste;
For I am going to Fair Eleanor's house
To invite her to my wedding.
He rode and he rode till he came to the hall,
He dangled at the ring;
There was none so ready as Fair Eleanor
To arise and let him in.
What news? what news? Lord Thomas, she cried;
What news you bring to me?
I've come to invite you to my wedding;
Is that good news to thee?
Sad news! sad news! Lord Thomas, she cried;
Sad news you bring to me.
I thought that I was to have been the bride,
And you the bridegroom to be.
She dressed herself in scarlet red,
Trimmed in maiden green;
And every town that she passed through
Took her to be some queen.
She rode and she rode till she came to the hall,
She dangled at the ring;
There was none so ready as Lord Thomas himself
To arise and let her in.
He took her by the lily white hand,
He led her across the hall.
He seated her at the head of the table
Among those ladies all.
Is this your bride, Lord Thomas? she cried;
I think she's wondrous brown,
When you could have married as fair a young damsel
As ever the bright sun shone on.
The Brown Girl having a little pen knife,
It being both keen and sharp,
She pierced it to Fair Eleanor's side
And thenceward to her heart.
What's the matter? What's the matter? Lord Thomas cried.
What's the matter? What's the matter with thee?
Oh, don't you see my own heart's blood
Come trinkling down by me?
He took the Brown Girl by the hand,
He led her across the hall.
He drew a bright sword and cut her head off
And stove it against the wall.
Mother, oh, Mother, come dig my grave;
Come dig it both wide and deep.
And bury Fair Eleanor in my arms,
The Brown Girl at my feet.
1. clearly this should be "sport" and is a mondegreen for sport.