The Three Black Crows- Franklin (NC) 1930 Henry B and C
[Henry's B and C texts are from the same informant family so I'm including them both here. I'm including a separate version for C also.]
From: Still More Ballads and Folk-Songs from the Southern Highlands
by Mellinger E. Henry
Source: The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 45, No. 175 (Jan. - Mar., 1932), pp. 1-176
B. "The Three Black Crows." Obtained from Miss Mary Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, August 11, 1930.
1. There were three crows sat on a tree,
Old Billy McGaw McGee!
There were three crows sat on a tree,
Old Billy McGaw McGee!
There were three crows sat on a tree,
And they were black as crows could be,
And they all flapped their wings and cried,
"Caw! Caw! Caw!"
And they all flapped their wings and cried,
"Caw! Caw! Caw!"
2. "What shall we have for bread to eat?"
Old Billy McGaw McGee!
"On yonders hill there lies a horse."
Old Billy McGaw McGee!
"We'll perch ourselves on his backbone,
And pick his eyes out one by one;"
And they all clapped their wings and cried,
"Caw! Caw! Caw!"
And they all clapped their wings and cried,
"Caw! Caw! Caw!"
C. "Three Black Crows." Obtained from Mr. C. L. Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, July 13, 1930.
1. There were three black crows
Sat in a tree.
Oh, Billy McGee McGaw!
And they were as black
As they could be.
Oh, Billy McGee McGaw!
They flapped their wings and crowed;
"Caw! Caw! Caw!"