Three Loving Brothers (Abner Bardeen)- Cassidy (RI) 1945 Flanders
[From Flanders' Ancient Ballads, 1965. Her notes follow. This version uses the "Lord Lovell" form. I've added footnotes 1 and 4.
R. Matteson 2013]
F. Three Loving Brothers. Sung by Mrs. Alice Cassidy of East Matunuck, Rhode Island. M. Olney, Collector April 5, 1945. Structure: A B C D1 D2 (2,2,3,2,2); Rhythm divergent; Contour: arc-like; Scale: major t.c. F.
In Scotland were three loving brothers, [1]
Three loving brothers all three.
And they cast lots to see which one of them
Should go sailing down on the salt sea, salt sea, [2]
Should go sailing down on the salt sea.
The lot did fall to Abner Bardeen,
The younger of these brothers three,
That he should go sailing down on the salt ocean,
To maintain his two brothers and he, and he,
To maintain his two brothers and he.
He had not sailed far one cold frosty morning,
One cold frosty morning in May,
When he espied a rich merchantman,
Sailing down under the lee, his lee,
Sailing down under his lee.
"Who's there? Who's there?" cried Abner Bardeen. [3]
"Who's there, I cried unto thee?"
"A rich merchantman all laden down fine;
Oh, will you please let us pass by, pass by [4]
Will you please let us pass by?"
"Oh, no, oh, no!" cried Abner Bardeen.
"Oh, no! I cry unto thee,
Since I've taken to robbing down on the salt ocean
To maintain my two brothers and me, and me,
To maintain my two brothers and me.
"So lower your topsail and take your main pack,
And bring your ship under our lee.
I will take your gold, your rich flowing gold,
And your bodies to sink in the sea, salt sea,
And your bodies will sink in the sea."
"We'll not lower our topsail or take our main pack,
Nor bring our ship under Your lee.
But we'll fight for our gold, our rich flowing gold,
And our bodies we'll save from the sea, salt sea,
And our bodies we'll save from the sea."
"Broadside! Broadside!" cried Abner Bardeen.
"I cry, I cry unto thee."
At last Abner Bardeen was taken unharmed,
And his body now sleeps in the sea, salt sea,
And his body now sleep in the sea.
Footnotes:
1. Could be pronounced brathers
2. MS had robbing instead of sailing form Stanzas 1 and 2
3. MS had "Who's there, unto thee I cry?"
4. Mistake in the book (missing text at the end of line), I've filled it in.