The Brown Girl- Welch (WV) 1957 Musick A
[From Ballads and Folksongs from West Virginia by Ruth Ann Musick; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 70, No. 277 (Jul. - Sep., 1957), pp. 247-261.
R. Matteson 2012]
6. "The Brown Girl" (Lord Thomas and Fair Annet, Child 73) [8]
6.1. Contributed by Mrs. Thomas G. Welch and son, Lynn, of Albright (see Ex. 9).
(1) "Oh, Mother, dear Mother, come here to me,
Come tell me what I shall do;
Whether I shall marry fair Ellen dear,
Or bring the brown girl home."
(2) "The brown girl, she has house and land;
Fair Ellen, she has none;
Therefore I think you had better, my son,
Go bring the brown girl home."
(3) "Go saddle, go bridle my milk-white steed,
Go saddle and bridle for me;
For I'm going to invite fair Ellen dear
To my wedding dinner to-day."
(4) He rode up to fair Ellen's gate;
He rattled at the ring;
And there was none so ready as she
To arise and let him in.
(5) "Good news, good news, good news," she cried;
"Bad news, bad news," cried he;
"For I've come to invite you to my wedding dinner,
And that's bad news today."
(6) She then rode up to Lord Thomas's gate;
She rattled at the ring;
And there was none so ready as he
To arise and let her in.
(7) He took her by the lily-white hand,
He led her across the hall;
Where there sits four and twenty young ladies
And she is the fairest of all.
(8) Says she, "Lord Thomas, which is your bride?
I think she is wonderful brown;
You once might have had as fair a young lady
As ever the sun shone on."
(9) The brown girl having a knife in hand,
The blade both keen and sharp,
She slipped it under fair Ellen dear's arm,
And pierced her through the heart.
(10) "What makes you look so wonderful pale?
What makes you look so pale?
You used to carry your rosy, red cheeks,
But now your color has failed."
(11) "Oh, can't you see, oh, plainly see,
Oh, can't you plainly see,
My heart's cold blood come twinkling down,
Come twinkling to my knee?"
(12) He took the brown girl by the hand,
He led her across the hall,
Drew back his sword, cut off her head,
And slung it against the wall.
(13) He put the evy against the wall
And pierced him through the heart;
It never was known in all this world
Three lovers so soon to part.
(I4) "Oh, Mother, dear Mother, go dig my grave,
Go dig it both wide and deep,
And place fair Ellen dear by my side,
And the brown girl at my feet."