This is from A Singer and Her Songs: Almeda Riddle's Book of Ballads (Edited by Roger D. Abrahams, 1970, Louisiana State University Press)

LITTLE JIM

The night was dark and stormy,
The wind was howling wild.
A patient mother watched beside
The deathbed of her child.
A little wornout creature,
His once bright eyes growing dim;
It was a coaler's wife and child,
They called him Little Jim.

And, oh, to see those briny tears
Fast hurrying down her cheeks;
She kneels to offer up a prayer
But is afraid to speak.
Lest she might wake the son
She loves far better than her life,
For she has all a mother's love
Has that poor coaler's wife.

Uplifted hands and so she kneels
Beside the sick child's bed.
She prayed, "O God, please spare my son
And take my life instead."
She gets her answer from the boy,
Softly falls the words from him,
"Oh, Mother, angels do so smile
And beckon Little Jim."

"I have no pain, dear Mother, now,
But I am, oh, so dry,
Just give poor Jim another drink
And, Mother, please don't cry.
Tell Father when he comes from work
I said 'good night' to him
And now I think I'll go to sleep."
'Twas the last from Little Jim.

The door is softly opened,
The coaler's step is heard;
The father and mother meet again
But neither speaks a word.
He knew that all was over,
Yes, knew his son was dead;
He took the candle in his hand
And walks toward the bed.

His trembling lips give token
Of grief he tries to conceal;
Now, see, his wife has gained him,
The stricken couple kneel.
With heart bowed in sadness,
They humbly ask of Him
In heaven that they may meet again
Their own poor Little Jim.


Riddle found this poem in a poetry book or newspaper, but she didn't recall her source. She says:

"Little Jim" I wanted to sing so bad—we lived over on the mountain then—that I just clipped the words and put it to my own tune, and since then I've always sung it. And I've never heard anyone else sing it. I doubt if it was a song. It probably as just a poem somebody wrote—just a poem in a paper, and I don't even know what paper.

-Joe Offer-

---

Click to play