US & Canada Versions: 88. Young Johnstone
[The two US and Canada versions were collected in Nova Scotia and come from Ballads and Sea Songs from Nova Scotia by William Roy Mackenzie- 1928. The A version was first published in Quest of the Ballad, 1919 where it is attributed to John Thomas Matheson and was obtained to schoolgirl. In 1928 it was attributed to John Henderson.
R. Matteson 2012, 2015]
CONTENTS:
Johnson and the Colonel- Henderson (NS) 1919; also 1928
Johnson and Coldwell- Rogers (NS) 1928 Mackenzie B
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Excerpt from The British Traditional Ballad in North America
by Tristram Coffin 1950, from the section A Critical Biographical Study of the Traditional Ballads of North America
88. YOUNG JOHNSTONE
Texts: MacKenzie, Bids Sea Sgs N Sc, 41.
Local Titles: Johnson and Coldwell, Johnson and the Colonel.
Story Types: A: Johnson kills the Colonel after the latter has made slurring remarks about Johnson's sister. He then flees to this sister's house, but when she says that he will surely be hanged in the morning he rides off to the home of his true-love, the Colonel's sister. His sweetheart hides him. When the King's guards come after Johnson and describe him, his hawks,
and his hounds to the girl, she tells them that he passed the house earlier. After they hasten off, she goes to tell Johnson of her service, startles the sleeping man, and is stabbed. He immediately regrets his rash and unplanned act and promises her the best doctors. However, she dies, nobly.
Examples: MacKenzie (A).
B: The story is the same as that of Type A. However, Johnson goes in sequence to his mother, sister, and sweetheart. Each asks him where he has been. To each he replies "at the state house teaching young Clark to write". Each then tells him of a bloody dream she has had, and he is forced to confess the crime.
Examples: MacKenzie (B).
Discussion: MacKenzie, Bids Sea Sgs N Sc, 41 states that he cannot account for the variations that occur in his A text, although he points out that in the absence of the dream and of the description of the hawk, it resembles Child C. Type B is like Child D. Johnson's reply to the girl, when she asks him where he has been ("the young Clark to write" line) is also discussed here.