The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #159967   Message #3791916
Posted By: Richie
24-May-16 - 01:24 PM
Thread Name: DTStudy: Molly Bawn (Polly Vaughn)
Subject: Lyr Add: MALLY BANN
Hi,

The only version I have with the spelling "Mally Bann" was taken from
The New Monthly Magazine and Universal register. Volume 67, 1843. It follows:

MALLY BANN.

1.Jemmy Randall went a shooting,
A shooting in the dark;
But to his great misfortune,
He did not miss his mark.

2. His love's apron being about her,
He took her for a swan;
But alas, and forever, alas!
It was sweet Mally Bann.

3. When he came up into her,
And found that she was dead,
Great abundance of salt tears
For his darling he shed.

4. He went home to his father
With his gun in his hand,
Crying, "Dear father, dear father,
I've shot Mally Bann."

5. His father looked upon him
(His hair being gray)
Crying, " Oh! my dearest son,
You must not run away:

6. "Stay at home in your own country—
Let your trial come on;
By the laws of sweet Ireland,
You shall never be undone."

7. Within two or three months after,
To her uncle appeared she,
Crying " Dear uncle, dear uncle,
Let Jemmy Randall go free.

8. "For my apron being about me,
He took me for a swan."
But it is, oh! and for ever, alas!
It was sweet Mally Bann.

9. When the fair maids in the city
Were assembled in a row,
She appeared among them
Like a mountain of snow.

10. All the maidens in the country—
They held up their head,
When this beautiful, this lovely,
This fair one was dead.

Steve- please compare to this version before scanning. I do have a question about the 'mountain of snow" in stanza 9 and many versions. What does that mean? I thought it was her ghost :)

Richie

Richie