The Two Brothers- Glasscock (WV) 1957 Musick
Ballads and Folksongs from West Virginia
by Ruth Ann Musick
The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 70, No. 277 (Jul. - Sep., 1957), pp. 247-261
4. "The Two Brothers" (The Twa Brothers, Child 49) [5]
4.1. Contributed by Mrs. Glasscock, who learned it from her mother in Wetzel County (see Ex. 6).
(1) Two pretty little brothers went out to play;
Two pretty little brothers were they, they, they;
Two pretty little brothers were they.
(2) One said to the other, "It's, oh, dear brother,
Why don't you throw a light stone at me, me, me,
Why don't you throw a light stone at me?"
(3) "It's, oh, dear brother, I am too young
To throw a light stone at you, you, you,
To throw a light stone at you."
(4) He took his knife all out of his pocket
And gave him his deathly wounds, wounds, wounds,
And gave him his deathly wounds.
5) He tore his shirt right off of his back
To tie up his deathly wounds, wounds, wounds,
To tie up his deathly wounds.
(6) "Now, if my playmates call for me,
Just tell them I'm dead and gone, gone, gone,
Just tell them I'm dead and gone."
(7) "And if my parents call for me,
Just tell them I've gone to sleep, sleep, sleep,
Just tell them I've gone to sleep."
(8) "And all the tears that's shed o'er me,
Just wipe them on a cold, white sheet, sheet, sheet,
Just wipe them on a cold, white sheet."