Subject: Lyr Add: THE PROUD GIRL (#68 - Frankie Armstrong)
From:
Roberto
Date: 27 Nov 05 - 10:55 AM
THE PROUD GIRL - Child number 68. Sung by Frankie Armstrong on Till the grass o'ergrew the corn (Fellside). F.A. writes she had the song from A.L. Lloyd, based on that given to Walter Scott by James Hogg, who had it from his mother. I've put a question mark where I can't understand the words or where I have doubts. Please, help complete and correct this transcription. Thank you. Roberto
^^
As she was walking herself alone
All through the flowery wood
She heard a noise of bridle reins
And hoped it might be for good
Come down, come down, you fine young man
You are welcome home to me
To my fine bed and charcoal red
And candle burning free
He says - I won't come down and I can't come down
Nor come into your arms at all
For a finer girl than ten of you
Is waiting below the town wall
She says - A finer girl than ten of me
I wonder who that could be?
For I'm sure no finer girl than me
Your eyes did ever see
He's leaned over his saddle bow
For a kiss before they do part
And with a knife so long and keen
She's stabbed him to the heart
Lie there, lie there, you false young man
Till the flesh stream (?) from off of your bones
And that finer girl than ten of me
Can weary of waiting alone
As she has trudged the high highway
She heard a bird up in the tree
Saying - How could you kill that fine young man
As he was a-kissing of thee?
Come down, come down, you pretty little bird
Take bread from out of me hand
And your cage shall be made of the wily (?) gold
Instead of the willow wand
Oh, I won't come down and I can't come down
Nor fly down to your knee
For as you done to that fine young man
I'm sure you would do to me
Oh, it's if I had me bended bow
And me arrows down by me knee
I'd loose a dart that'd pierce your heart
As you sit chattering on that tree
Ah, but you've not got your bow, lady
Nor your arrows down by your knee
And I'll away to that young man's house
And tell them what I did see
As she's crossed over her own threshold
She's give a pitiful moan
And she has worn (?) that young man up
Behind the marble stone
And she has kept that young man there
For a full three-quarters of a year
Till a heavy smell of death did spread
And she began to fear
So she's called unto her Irish maid
And the girl asked her to hear her say (???):
There is a young man in my room
And it's time he was away
So one of them took him by the shoulders
The other one by the feet
And they've flown him into the river clear
That run about twenty foot deep
And out and spoke that little bird
Where he sat all on his tree:
I'd have you dive, you divers all
For here he do lie indeed
But I'd have you quit your day-diving
And dive all through the night
For under the water where this young man lies
The candles do burn so bright
So the divers quit their day-diving
And dived all through the night
And under the water where that young man lay
The candles did burn so bright
So two men went down to the woods
To fetch both briar and thorn
And they have built a great bonfire
This proud girl for to burn
And the fire took fast upon her cheek
Took fast upon her chin
And it's …(?) sang in her yellow hair
And she burnt like the holy green (?)
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sj
