The False-Hearted Knight and the Pretty Carol Lynn- Shinn (WV) 1969 Bush
[Folk Songs of Central West Virginia by Michael E. "Jim" Bush, 1969. The ballad was taken from Mr. H. J. Shinn of Cottageville, W. V., to whom Bush dedicated the book. Shinn, born in 1889 (died in 1970), probably learned this many years before 1969. Carol Lynn is a variant of "Collin" which according to Barry is derived from the Irish slang (cailin) for girl or girlfriend.
R. Matteson]
The False-Hearted Knight and the Pretty Carol Lynn
This version of Child 4 "Lady Isabel and the Elf knight is much similar in both dramatic form and verse by verse content to the
"E" version given by Professor Child. He calls it a stall ballad of fairly recent origin. This text was obtained from Mr. H. J. Shinn of Cottageville, W. V.
1 The False-hearted Knight and the Pretty Carol Lynn
Engaged to run away.
She took part of her father's silver and gold,
And a part of her mother's fee, fee, ee,
And a part of her mother's fee.
2 She mounted on the bonny block,
And he on the dappled gray;
They rode away, so lovely[1] and light,
Till they come to the banks of the sea, sea, sea.
Till they come to the banks of the sea.
3 "Mount off, mount off, you pretty Carol Lynn.
Mount off, mount off," said he.
For six king's daughters I hove drowned here,
And you the seventh shall be, be, be;
And you the seventh shall be."
4. "O hold your tongue you False-hearted Knight
O, hold your tongue," said she.
You promised to take me to old Scot-a-land,
And there you would marry me, me, me;
And there you would marry me."
5 "Take off your satins and your silks
And lay them here by me.
For they are too costly and too fine,
For to rot on sands of the sea, sea, sea,
For to rot on sands of the sea."
6 "O, turn yourself around about,
And gaze on the leaves of the tree.
For I never stripped before no man,
And I won't strip before thee, thee, thee,
And I won't strip before thee."
7 He turned himself around about,
To gaze upon the leaves of the tree,
She picked him up so manfully like
And plunged him into the sea, sea, sea,
And plunged him into the sea.
8 "Lie there, lie there, you false-hearted knight,
Lie there, lie there," said she;
"If six king's daughters you have drowned here,
Well you shall the seventh be, be, be,
Well you shall the seventh be."
9 She mounted on the bonny black,
And led the dapple gray,
She rode till she came to her father's door,
Three long hours before it was day, day, day,
Three long hours before it was day.
10 Then up spoke the pretty parrot,
From the cage where it stayed,
Saying, "What are you doing, my pretty Carol Lynn,
That you're traveling so long before day, day, day,
That you're traveling so long before day?"
11 "O hold your tongue you pretty parrot,
Tell no such tales on me,'
And your cage shall be made of the pure beaten gold,
And be hung on the green willow tree, tree, tree,
And be hung on the green willow tree."
12 Then outspoke the old king himself
From his cot on which he lay.
"O, what are you doing my pretty parrot
That you're prattling so long before day, day day,
That you're prattling so long before day."
13 There come a cat unto my cage
Intending to worry me.
And I had to call for my pretty Carol Lynn
For to drive that cat away, way, way;
For to drive that cat away."
1. lively