The Three Gypsies (Raggle Taggle Gypsies-O)- Callahan (NC) 1936 Scarborough B
[From Scarborough, A Songcatcher; 1937, probably colelcted circa 1931 (see Bronson).
This is a nearly identical version of "Wraggle Taggle Gypsies- O" as found in Sharp, C (ed), 1916, One Hundred English Folksongs, Boston, Oliver Ditson Co. Below is Sharp's text and notes.
R .Matteson 2012, 2015]
The Three Gypsies- Clara Callahan (Saluda, NC) 1936 Scarborough B
There were three gypsies that come to my door,
And down-stairs ran this lady-O.
One sang high and another sang low,
And the other sang Bonny, Bonny, Biscay-O.
Then she pulled off her silk finish gown
And she put on leather holstery, O.
The ragged, rag-rags about her door,
And she's off with the raggle taggle Gypsies, O.
It was late last night, when my lord came home,
Inquiring for his lady, O.
The servants said on every hand,
She's gone with the raggle taggle Gypsies, O.
Go saddle to me my milk-white steed,
The black one's not so speedy, O.
That I may ride and seek my bride,
Who has gone with the raggle taggle Gypsies, O.
Oh, he rode high and he rode low,
He rode through woods and copses too,
Till he came to an open field,
And there he espied his lady, O.
What makes you leave your house and home?
What makes you leave your money, O?
What makes you leave your new wedded lord,
To be off with the raggle taggle Gypsies, O?
What care I for my house and my land?
What care I for the money, O?
What care I for my new wedded lord?
I'm off with the wraggle taggle Gypsies, O.
Last night you slept on a goose-feather bed,
With a sheet turned down so bravely, O.
Tonight you'll sleep in a cold open field,
Along with the raggle taggle Gypsies, O.
What care I for my goose-feather bed?
(With) A sheet turned down so bravely, O.
For tonight I shall sleep in a cold open field,
Along with the wraggle taggle Gypsies, O.
------------------------
[compare to:]
"Wraggle Taggle Gypsies- O" Sharp, C (ed), 1916, One Hundred English Folksongs, Boston, Oliver Ditson Co
Sharp wrote:
Compare this song with "The Gipsy Countess" (Songs of the West, no 50, 2d ed.) and "The Gipsy" (A Garland of Country Song, no 32). A Scottish version of the words is in Ramsey's Tea-Table Miscellany (volume iv); see also "Gypsie Laddie," in Herd's Ancient and Modern Scottish Songs (volume ii, p. 95, ed. 1791). In Finlay's Scottish Ballads (1808) the ballad appears as "Johnnie Faa," and in Chambers Picture of Scotland, a valiant effort is made, after the manner of Scottish commentators, to provide the story with a historical foundation.
The tune is in the AEolian mode. I have noted no less than eighteen variants.
There were three gypsies a come to my door,
And downstairs ran this lady, O!
One sang high and another sang low,
And the other sang bonny, bonny, Biscay, O!
Then she pulled off her silk finished gown
And put on hose of leather, O!
The ragged, ragged, rags about our door,
She's gone with the wraggle taggle gypsies, O!
It was late last night, when my lord came home,
Enquiring for his a-lady, O!
The servants said, on every hand,
She's gone with the wraggle taggle gypsies, O!
O saddle to me my milk-white steed,
Go and fetch me my pony, O!
That I may ride and seek my bride,
Who is gone with the wraggle taggle gypsies, O!
O he rode high and he rode low,
He rode through woods and copses too,
Until he came to an open field,
And there he espied his a-lady, O!
What makes you leave your house and land?
What makes you leave your money, O?
What makes you leave your new wedded lord?
To go with the wraggle taggle gypsies, O!
What care I for my house and my land?
What care I for my money, O?
What care I for my new wedded lord?
I'm off with the wraggle taggle gypsies, O!
Last night you slept on a goose-feather bed,
With the sheet turned down so bravely, O!
And to-night you'll sleep in a cold open field,
Along with the wraggle taggle gypsies, O!
What care I for a goose-feather bed?
With the sheet turned down so bravely, O!
For to-night I shall sleep in a cold open field,
Along with the wraggle taggle gypsies, O!