The Cruel Brother- Given to Katherine Tompkins (KY) c. 1900; 1957 by Sylvia Hall. From: In the Pine
[From In the Pine; Roberts, 1978. MS obtained in 1957 from Katherine Tompkins who lived in Virginia before moving to Harlan County. She says of it, "this was given to me by Sylvia Hall, she could not sing it but she heard it as a little girl (early 1900s)." Roberts and Agey add, "The faulty quatrains indeed imply that the song was handed down as a song ballet, often copied but seldom sung."
R. Matteson 2011, 2014]
THE CRUEL BROTHER- Katherine Tompkins (KY) 1957 by Sylvia Hall. (dates back to early 1900s)
1. There were three sisters whose lives were gay,
They were happy from day to day.
Pretty as a rose were the sisters three,
Their names being Annett, Marrett, and Marie.
2. A knight came riding along the way,
And he courted them all, so fair and gay.
Annett, he held her in great pride,
He whispered softly, "Will you be my bride?"
3. Marrett wearing a gown of green,
He said softly, "Will you be my queen?"
Marie, the youngest, dressed in white,
Holden her in his arms so tight,
"Oh fair lady, be my heart's delight."
4. "Sir knight my heart you win,
First you must ask all my kin.
First you must ask my father the king,
Then you must ask my mother the queen,
Then you must ask my sisters each one,
Make sure you ask my brother John.
5. Soon the wedding day did come,
The knight was proud of the girl he had won,
Many a lord and many a knight,
Came to attend their wedding that night.
6. Her father led her down the aisle
Her mother so hard to0 smile.
Her sisters standing so very close,
Her brother John sat on her horse.
7. She was now ready with her groom to depart,
Stooping over to her brother,
He stabbed her through the heart.
8. As she started riding through the town.
She soon saw the blood had stained her gown;
Slowly she turned to her groom so gay,
And slowly these words to him she did say,
9. "I love you, dear- but with you I cannot stay,
For the Master above has called me today,
Hold me gently in your arms,
I will tell you my will, it won't take long.
10. "To my father I leave my silk white steed that carried me here,
My mother my clothes for to wear,
My sisters I leave my snood and fan,
To keep them cool in the sun.
11. "The last thing I wish to leave,
This being for my brother John,
The gallows tree to hang him on,
The gallows tree for to hang him on.