The Rantin' Laddie- Edman; Big Springs (WV) 1924 Woofter?/Combs
[From the second edition (Wilgus ed.) of Combs' Folk-Songs of the Southern United States, 1964- first published in 1925. Wilgus points out that this contribution made by Carey Woofter is nearly identical to one printed by Allan Cunningham in his The Songs of Scotland (p. 208). It is unknown whether this was a collaboration with his fellow student Patrick Gainer who in 1975 published an almost identical version and attributed it to a probably fictitious local informant-- Alpheus Danley of Gilmer County, WV.
R. Matteson 2013, 2016]
The Rantin' Laddie- Contributed by Mrs. Nora Edman, Big Springs, Calhoun Co., West Virginia. Collected circa 1924 by Carey Woofter.
Oft I have played at cards and dice,
Because they were so enticing;
But this is a sad and sorrowful day
To see my apron rising.
My father he does but slight me,
And my mother she does but scorn me,
And all my friends they do make light of me,
And all the servants they do sneer at me.
Oft have I played at cards and dice,
For the love of my laddie;
But now I must sit at my father's fireboard,
And rock my bastard baby.
But had I one of my father's servants,
For he has so many,
That will go to the eastern shore
With a letter to the rantin laddie.
"Here is one of your father's servants,
For he has so many,
That will go to the eastern shore
With a letter to the rantin laddie."
"When you get there to the house,
To the eastern shore so bonnie,
With your hat in your hand, bow down to the ground,
Before the company of the rantin laddie."
When he got there to the house,
To the eastern shore so bonnie,
with his hat in his hand he bowed down to the ground,
Before the company of the rantin laddie.
When he looked the letter over
So loud he burst out laughing;
But before he read it to the end,
The tears they were down dropping.
"O who is this, O who is that,
Who has been so ill to my Maggie?
O who is this dares be so bold,
So cruel to treat my lassie?"
"Her father he will not know her,
And her mother she does but scorn her;
And all her friends they do make light of her,
And all the servants they do sneer at her.
"Four and twenty milk-white steeds,
Go quick and make them ready;
As many gay lads to ride on them,
To go and bring home my Maggie.
"Four and twenty bright-brown steeds,
Go quick and make them ready;
As many bold men to ride on them,
To go and bring home my Maggie."
Ye lassies all, where'er ye be,
And ye lie with an east-shore laddie,
Ye'll happy be and ye'll happy be,
For they are frank and free.