The Cruel Mother- Griffin (Georgia-Florida) pre-1876; 1937 Morris
[Not a local title, probably assigned by Morris. G. A. Griffin was one of Alton Morris informants, who learned many of her songs from her father, a fiddler. She learned this in George before 1876 when she left home and moved to Florida. Alan Lomax collected songs from her in his 1939 Southern States recording trip. Reprinted Southern folklore quarterly: Volume 8; Alton Chester Morris, University of Florida, Southeastern Folklore Society - 1944 and Bronson, Singing Tradition of Child's Popular Ballads.]
THE CRUEL MOTHER- Mrs. G. A. Griffin, FL 1937
There was a lady lived in New York,
All de lone and de loney;
She fell in love with her father's clerk,
All down by the greeny woodside ny;
She fell in love with her father's clerk,
All down by the greeny woodside ny.
She leant herself against the oak,
All de lone and de loney;
It was it leant and then it broke,
All down by the greeny woodside ny;
It was it leant and then it broke,
All down by the greeny woodside ny.
She leaned herself against the thorn,
All de lone and de loney;
There she had two pretty babes borned,
All down by the greeny woodside ny.
There she had two pretty babes borned,
All down by the greeny woodside ny.
She takened her hairstring offen her hair,
All de lone and de loney;
She tied them up both hands and feet,
All down by the greeny woodside ny;
She tied them up both hands and feet,
All down by the greeny woodside ny.
She takened her pen knife outen her pocket,
All de lone and de loney;
She pierced it to their tender hearts,
All down by the grecny woodside ny;
And she buried them both at Marblestone,
All down by the greeny woodside ny.
One even she was sitting in her father's hall,
All de lone and de loney;
She saw two pretty babes playing with a ball,
All down by the greeny woodside ny;
She saw two pretty babes playing with a ball,
All down by the greeny woodside ny.
"O babes, O babes, if you was mine,
All de lone and de loney;
I'd dress you up in silks so fine,
All down by the greeny woodside ny;
I'd dress you up in silks so fine,
All down by the greeny woodside ny.
"O Mother, O Mother, when we was yours
All de lone and de loney;
You seemed to give us coarse nor fine,
All down by the greeny woodside ny;
You seemed to give us coarse nor fine,
All down by the greeny woodside ny;
"You takened your hairstring offen your hair
All de lone and de loney;
You tied us up both hands and feet,
All down by the greeny woodside ny;
You tied us up both hands and feet,
All down by the greeny woodside ny.
"You takened your pen knife all outen your pocket
All de lone and de loney;
You pierced it to our tender hearts,
All down by the greeny woodside ny;
You buried us both at Marblestone,
All down by the greeny woodside ny."