The Jew's Daughter- Barker (WV) 1916 Cox C
[From: Folk-Songs of the South by John Harrington Cox- 1925; his notes follow. The date is much older.
R. Matteson 2013, 2015]
19. SIR HUGH, OR, THE JEW'S DAUGHTER (Child, No. 155)
Fourteen variants have been found in West Virginia, under various titles (cf. Cox, xlv, 160). They all tell the same brief story and differ in trifling details only. The version agrees closely with Child G and H. Child K of the English versions is very similar. Stanza A 6 and the corresponding stanzas in other variants are most like Child F 4 and N 6.
For American texts see Child, 111, 248, 249 (Philadelphia and Baltimore); Newell, Games and Songs of American Children, p. 75 (New York; reprinted by Child, in, 251); Krehbiel, New York Tribune, August 17, 1902 (see Journal, xv, 195); Belden, Journal, xrx, 293 (Missouri; Kentucky); Tolman, Journal, xxrx, 164 (Indiana; reprinted by Pound, No. 5 A); Kittredge, Journal, xxix, 166 (probably from Connecticut); Tolman and Eddy, Journal, xxxv, 344 (Ohio); Focus, in, 396, 399 (Virginia); Steger and Morrow, The University of Virginia Magazine, December, 191 2, p. 115 (Alabama; the same in Smith, p. 16, and Pound, No. 5B); Campbell and Sharp, No. 26 (North Carolina). For further references see Journal, xxix, 164; xxx, 322; xxxv, 344. Add Bulletin, No. 7, p. 6; No. 9, p. 7; No. 11, p. 5.
C. "The Jew's Daughter." Communicated by Miss Mildred Joy Barker, Morgantown, Monongalia County, October 2, 1916; obtained from her mother, who says that it has been known in the family for many years
1 It rained a mist, it rained a mist,
All over, all over the land;
And all the boys in our town,
Went out to toss their ball, ball, ball,
Went out to toss their ball.
2 At first they tossed their ball too high,
And then again too low;
Till over into the Jew's garden it went,
Where no one dared to go.
3 Out came the Jew's daughter, all dressed,
All dressed in spangles of gold:
"Come in, come in, my lad/' she said,
"And you shall have your ball."
4 "I won't come nor I shan't come in,
Unless my playmates do;
For I've heard it said whoever comes in,
Shall never come out again."
5 At first she showed him a nice red apple,
And then a gay gold ring,
And then a cherry as red as blood,
To entice this little boy in.
6 She took him by the lily-white hand,
And led him through the hall,
And then into the cellar below,
Where no one could hear him call.
7 "O, lay my Bible at my head,
My prayer-book at my feet;
And if my playmates ask for me,
Tell them that I'm asleep.
8 "O, lay my prayer-book at my feet,
My Bible at my head;
And if my playmates ask for me,
Tell them that I am dead."