The Brown Girl- Lozier (KY) pre1973 Recording
[From: Digital Library of Appalachia; on-line. Lord Thomas and Fair Ellender (The Brown Girl) Child #73 - Ballad sung by Mary Lozier of Greenup County, Kentucky and recorded by Barbara Kunkle 7-29-73.
R. Matteson 2012]
The Brown Girl- Lozier (KY) pre1973 Recording [transcription R. Matteson 2014]
[Listen: Mary Lozier of Greenup County, Kentucky]
1. Mother come read my will to me,
Come read it perfect well,
Shall I marry fair Ellender
Or bring the brown girl home?
2. The brown girl has a house and land,
Fair Ellen she has none.
Therefore I call you to see
To bring the brown girl home
3. He dressed himself in his very best clothes
He wore a golden ring,
And every town that he came to,
They took him to be a king.
4. And when he came to fair Ellen's door
He knock-ed at the ring
There was none so ready as fair Ellen herself,
To arise and let him in.
5. "What news, what news, Lord Thomas, she said
"What news what news, for me?"
'I came to invite you to my wedding,"
Bad news, bad news for me."
6 "Oh, mother come read my riddle[1] to me,
Come read it two as one,
Shall I go to Lord Thomas's wedding,
Or shall I tarry at home."
7. "There's may be your friends, daughter dear,
There's many may be your foes,
Therefore I charge to you,
Lord Thomas's wedding don't go."
8. "There's many may be my friend, mother dear,
There's many may be your foes,
Therefore I charge to you,
Lord Thomas's wedding I'll go."
9. She dressed herself in scarlet red,
She wore a golden ring,
And every town that they went through
They took her to be some queen.
10. She rode till she came to Lord Thomas's gate,
She knock-ed at the ring
There was none so ready as Lord Thomas himself,
To arise and let her in.
11. He took by her lily-white hand,
He led her through the hall,
He sat her down at the head of the table
All with the quality all.[2]
12. "Is this your bride, Lord Thomas?" she said,
"Methinks she looks wondrous brown?
You once could have married the fairest lady
As ever the sun shone on."
13. The brown girl had a little knife,
It was both sharp and keen,
She stabbed fair Ellen in the ribs
And pierc-ed her so deep.
14. "Art thou blind, art thou blind Lord Thomas, she said
Are you blind or can't you see?
Don't you see my own heart's blood,
Come trinkling down to me."
15 Lord Thomas had a sword by his side,
As he walked about the hall,
He cut the Brown girl's head from her shoulders
And kicked it against the wall.
16. He raised the handle against the wall,
The tip against his breast
Saying this is the end of three true lovers,
God bid us all to rest.[3]
17. Go dig my grave Lord Thomas cried
Go dig it wide and deep,
And bury fair Ellender in my arms
The brown girl at me feet.
1. let (for letter)?
2. hard to hear
3. sleep?