Hi,

I also need versions of "Over Yonder's Hill" as sung by Freda Black or Amy Birch. I do have the version from Amy's daughter but Jean learned it from another source.

Baring-Gould studied this ballad and all his versions begin "Brisk Young Miner." So far all of the UK versions I've seen do not have this title. Any thoughts as to how this could be. I've got three versions from his leading informants David Parsons, Same Fone, and John Woodrich. As author of "Book of Werewolves" Baring-Gould could have added more spice but his re-write is a bit tame (no fangs); here's his A version:

A. The Brisk Young Miner- sung by John Woodrich probably Sept., 1896 or early as 1889. Woodrich was a blacksmith from Wollacot Moor, Thrushleton [sic], Devon.

1. A brisk young miner courted me
He stole away my liberty,
My liberty with free good will.
For all his faults I love him still.

2. There is a tavern in our town,
Where my false lover will sit him down,
Another maiden is on his knee
He never, never, now thinks on me.

3. A grief to me, I'll tell you why,
She has no more of show than I.
The show will waste, & beauty blast,
And poor she'll be as me at last

4. Once I could wear my apron low
He followed me through frost & snow.
But now 'tis risen to touch my chin,
My love passed by, but said nothing.

5. I wish, I wish, my babe were born
Sat smiling on its daddy's arm,
And I myself - cut short my span,
I would be free from that young man.

6. O dig my grave both wide & deep,
Put tombstones at my head & feet
And carve there on a turtledove,
To signify that I died of love.

In stanza two he "Americanized it" a bit showing his knowledge of published versions. Aside from that only 5 and 6 should touches of tampering, the most blatant being 5:

And I myself - cut short my span,
I would be free from that young man.

Richie