The Turkish Lady- Hylton (KY) pre-1909
[From: Some Ballad Variants and Songs by Arthur Beatty; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 22, No. 83 (Jan. - Mar., 1909), pp. 63-71.
R. Matteson 2012, 2014]
II. THE TURKISH LADY, OR LORD BAITMAN- No. II was secured by Mr. Legare L. Oeland, taken down in Kentucky from oral recitation by Miss Cora Hylton of Cody, Knott County, Kentucky.
There was a man who lived in England
Who was of some high degree,
He became uneasy and discontented,
Some foreign land, some land to see.
He sailed east, and he sailed westward,
He sailed all o'er the Turkish shore,
Till he was captured and put in prison,
Never to be released any more.
The Turkey had but one lone daughter
Who was of some high degree;
She stole the keys from the father's dwelling
And declared Lord Baitman she would free.
She led him down to the lower cellar,
And drew him a drink of the strangest wine,
Saying "every moment seems like an hour,
Oh Lord Baitman, if you were mine."
"Let's make a vow, let's make a promise,
Let's make a vow, let's make it stand,
I vow I'll marry no other woman,
If you'll vow you'll marry no other man."
They made a vow, they made a promise,
They made a vow, they made it stand.
He vowed he'd marry no other woman,
She vowed she'd marry no other man.
Seven long years have rolled around,
It seemed as if it were twenty-nine.
She bundled up her finest clothing,
And declared Lord Baitman she'd go find.
She went till she came to the gate she tingled,
Was so loud but she wouldn't go in.
Saying "is this Lord Baitman's palace,
Is it he who has taken a new bride in?
"Go remember him by the piexceal bread,
Go remember him by the glass of wine,
Go remember him by the Turkish lady,
Who freed him from those cold iron bands."
He stamped his foot upon the floor,
The table he burst into pieces three,
Saying "I'll forsake both land and dwelling
For the Turkish lady who set me free."