Lyr. add: TIRANTI, MY SON- Child Ic.
c. By Miss Ellen Marston, of New Bedford, as learned from her mother, born 1778.

1. 'O where have you been, Tiranti, my son?
O where have you been, my sweet little one?'
'I have been to my grandmother's; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at my heart , and I'm faint to lie down.'

2. 'O what did she give you, Tiranti, my son?
O what did she give you, my sweet little one?'
'Striped eels fried in butter; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at my heart, and I'm faint to lie down.'

3. 'O how did they look, Tiranti, my son?
O how did they look, my sweet little one?'
Ringed, streaked, and speckled, mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at my heart, and I'm faint to lie down.'

4. O where did they come from, Tiranti, my son?
O where did they come from, my sweet little one?'
'From the corner of the haystack; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at my heart, and I'm faint to lie down.'

5. 'What what will you give your father, [Tiranti] my son?
O what what will give him, my sweet little one?'
'A coach and six horses; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at my heart, and I'm faint to lie down.'

6. 'O what will you give your mother, [Tiranti] my son?
O what will you give your mother, my sweet little one?'
'All my gold and my silver; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at my heart, and I'm faint to lie down.'

7 'O what will you give your granny, Tiranti, my son?
O what will you give your granny, my sweet little one?'
'A halter to hang her; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at my heart, and I'm faint to lie down.'

8 'Where'll you have your bed made, Tiranti, my son?
Where'll you have your bed made, my sweet little one?'
'In the corner of the churchyard; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at my heart, and I'm faint to lie down.'

9. So this is the end of, Tiranti, my son,
So this is the end of, my sweet little one:
His grandmother poisoned him with an old dead snake,
And he left her a halter to hang by the neck.


Footnotes Child Ic. :

c. 1[4], at my heart (and always).

2[1]. O what did she give you? etc.
   3. Striped eels fried, etc.

3 = a 4. 1 O how did they look? etc.
   [3]. Ringed, streaked, and speckled, etc.

4 = a 3. [1]. O where did they come from?

5[1]. what will you give your father, my son?
[2]. O what will you give him?
[3]. A coach and six horses.

6[1]. O what will you give your mother, my son? as in 5.
[3]. All my gold and my silver.

7[1]. O what will you give your granny? as in 5.

8[1]. where'll, etc.

c adds, as 9:
So this is the end of Tiranti my son,
So this is the end of my sweet little one:
His grandmother poisoned him with an old dead snake,
And he left her a halter to hang by the neck.