The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #66674 Message #1109804
Posted By: GUEST,Martin Ryan
05-Feb-04 - 05:27 AM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: The Footboy (Canadian ballad)
Subject: ADD: The Little Penknife
Here's the version collected by James Foley, mentioned by Malcolm earleir in this thread:
The Little Penknife
It was in Armagh near the County Clare A very rich farmer he did live there He had a daughter of a beauty bright And her father's coachman took her to great delight
As her old coachman walked out one day These true words to his coachman say (sic) "I have a lady, I think no crime But I'll tell you more some other time"
As his servants walked in at noon He called the young man in to a room It was there he paid him his wages down And his eyes filled up and the tears rolled down
He had scarce a mile been outside the town When a ??? army did him surround A golden watch and a diamond ring Was in his company - he knew no thing
They marched him off then to Armagh jail It was there he lay till his trial came on Her father told her to go and see Her true love die upon the gallows tree
This to do was a shocking sight To see this young man all dressed in white With fainting tears and the ladies' cries "Let me kiss him once before he dies"
With the little penknife she held in her hand Little her father then knew her plan Saying "From that man I will never part" And she shed (sic) the knife through her tender heart
It was there she lay bleeding and bleeding on Saying "Father , father you have done the wrong You have hung this young man that I do adore And she closed her eyes and she said no more
So come all ye farmers both one and all Of high or low or rich or poor Your daughter's lost with your serving man And I would have loved to deprive your plan.
These are taken from a booklet accompanying the tape. Part of verse 4 is illegible - I'll check the tape when I get a chance.
I'll add Foley's comments (which refer to the Edith Fowkes song as the only other version he knows of) later today.