The Two School Boys- Griffin (GA-FL) 1877 Morris
[From Morris, Folksongs of Florida, 1950; Bronson 12. Griffin was born in Dooly County, Georgia in 1863. In 1877 she moved to Newberry, Florida. She learned songs from her father, a fiddler, before 1877.
R. Matteson 2014]
"The Two School Boys"- Morris, 1950, pp. 255-56. Sung by Mrs. G. A. Griffin, Newberry, Fla.; learned from her father before 1877.
1. There is two school boys in our town;
What fine school mates they'd be;
If I could be by the side of them
What fine school boys they'd be.
2. It's Monday morning go to school,
It's Saturday night go home;
It's combing back those curly locks;
It's bid them welcome home.
3. *Oh Brother, oh Brother, will you play ball,
Or will you scatter and stone?"
"I'm too little and I'm too young;
So, Brother, let me alone."
4. He drew his penknife in his hand,
Both keen and sharp;
Between his long ribs and his short
He rested his brother's heart.
5. "Oh Brother, oh Brother, when you go home
And my father asks for me,
Tell him I'm in some foreign land
A-wishing to come home."
6. "Oh Brother, oh Brother, when you go home
And my mother asks for me,
Tell her I'm in some foreign land
A-wishing to come home."
7. Little Old Tom went riding home,
Just as welcome as could be;
Who should he meet but his father dear;
"What news have you brought me?"
8. 'Sad news, sad news, dear Father,
Sad news for thee;
My brother is in some foreign land
His lesson still to know."
9. Little Old Tom went riding home,
Just as welcome as could be;
Who should he meet but his mother dear,
"What news have you brought to me?"
11. "Sad news, sad news, dear Mother,
Sad news for thee;
My brother is in some foreign land
And wishing to come home."
12. Little Old Tom went riding home,
Just as welcome as could be;
Who should he meet but his fair Eleander dear;
"What news have you brought to me?"
12. "Sad news, sad news, fair Eleander dear,
Sad news for thee;[1]
My brother is dead and is in cold clay,
And buried in Christian charm."
13. She harbored[2] around her true love's grave,
Five weeks to a day;
He harbored[2] the redbird out of the nest
And the red fish out of the sea.
14. "Go away, fair Eleander dear;
Go away from me,
For if you stay here to the day of your death,
You'll see no more of me."
1. usually this line ends with "arm" such as "with a tablet in her arm" Linscott
2. harped