Two Little Schoolmates (The Two Brothers)- McAllister (IN) 1935 Brewster A
[From Brewster: Ballads and Songs of Indiana; 1940. Brewsters notes follow. The 7th stanza is borrowed from Edward. The last stanza has the revenant ending found in Child B, although it's somewhat obscured.
R. Matteson 2014]
THE TWO BROTHERS (Child, No. 49)
Two texts of "The Two Brothers" have been recovered in this state. Both are most closely related to Child B. However, the "Chestner" (Chester) of variant A below does not appear in Child B, occurring only in C. It will be noted that in both variants the stabbing is intentional. The love affair and the resultant jealousy between the brothers appear in neither.
For American texts, see Barry, No. 33; Campbell and Sharp, No. 11; Cox, No. 7; Hudson, No. 7; Hudson, Folksongs, p. 73; Journal, XXVI, 361; XXVIII, 300; XXIX, 158 (a text from Indiana); XXX, 294; McGill, p. 55; Pound, Ballads, No. 18; Shearin, p. 4; Shearin and Combs, p. 7; Scarborough, Song Catcher, p. 166; Cox, Traditional Ballads, p. 15; BFSSNE, V, 6 (Vermont).
A. "Two Little Schoolmates." Contributed by Mr. A. T. McAllister, of Stendal, Indiana. Pike County. July 7, 1935.
1, Two little schoolmates going to school,
What pretty schoolmates are they!
If I were only along with them,
What pretty schoolmates we'd be!
2. "O Brother, can you roll a stone
Or can you throw a ball ?"
"I am too little; I am too young;
I cannot play at all."
3, He caught him by the coat collar
And brought him to the ground,
And out he drew a little sword
And gave him a deadly wound.
4. "O Brother, take me on your back
And carry me to Chestner's yard;
There dig for me a little grave
Both wide and deep . . . ."
5. "Bury my Bible at my head,
My satchel[1] at my feet,
My little bow and arrow at my side
When I am sound asleep."
6. "What will you tell our dear mamma
When you go home in the evening?"
"I'll tell her poor John is dead and gone,
Never to return.'
7. "What will you tell our dear papa
When he comes home in the morning?"
"I'll set my foot on yonder ship
And sail away to sea."
8. We'll mourn the green leaves from the trees,
The hummingbirds from their nests;
Poor mournful John is dead and gone,
Never to return.
Footnote:
1. For psalter.