Subject: Origins: Katey Morey
From: Joe Offer
Traditional Ballad Index entry:
Katie Morey [Laws N24]
DESCRIPTION: The singer tries to seduce Katie. He lures her into the woods and threatens to kill her if she will not submit. She seems to consent, but warns the youth to climb a tree until her father passes. She then insults him and runs away, leaving him far behindAUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1856 (Thompson-APioneerSongster)
KEYWORDS: seduction bargaining trick escape rape
FOUND IN: US(Ap,MA,MW,NE,SE)
REFERENCES (15 citations):
Laws N24, "Katie Morey"
Bronson 112, "The Baffled Knight" (40 versions) -- but #26-33 (his Appendix A) are "The New-Mown Hay," which may be separate, and #34-#39 (his Appendix B) are "Katie Morey" [Laws N24] which is certainly separate
Eddy-BalladsAndSongsFromOhio 19, "The Baffled Knight" (1 text, 1 tune, listed as Child #112 but clearly this piece) {Bronson's #39}
Flanders-AncientBalladsTraditionallySungInNewEngland3, pp. 89-99, "The Baffled Knight" (5 texts, but the "A" text is from "The Charms of Melody" rather than tradition and "B-I" through "B-IV" are "Katie Morey" rather than "The Baffled Knight" [Child 112])
Sharp-EnglishFolkSongsFromSouthernAppalachians 115, "Katie Morey" (2 texts plus a fragment, 3 tunes) {Bronson's #34, #37, #35}
Gardner/Chickering-BalladsAndSongsOfSouthernMichigan 161, "Kitty O'Noory" (1expurgated text, 1 tune) {Bronson's #36}
Randolph/Legman-RollMeInYourArms II, pp. 594-597, "Katey Morey" (5 texts)
Jones-MinstrelOfTheAppalachians-Bascom-Lamar-Lunsford, pp. 203-204, "Tumble Di I Dye Ding Dye A (Katy Morey)" (1 text, 1 tune)
Cazden/Haufrecht/Studer-FolkSongsOfTheCatskills 129, "Katey Morey" (1 text, 1 tune)
Thompson-APioneerSongster 3, "Katie Mora" (1 text)
Thompson-BodyBootsAndBritches-NewYorkStateFolktales, pp. 411-413, "Katie Mora" (1 text)
Lomax/Lomax-OurSingingCountry, pp. 122-124, "Katy Dorey" (1 text, 1 tune)
Beck-FolkloreOfMaine, pp. 110-112, "Kitty O'Morey" (1 text, 1 tune)
Sharp/Karpeles-EightyEnglishFolkSongs 52, "Katie Morey" (1 text, 1 tune) {Bronson's #34}
DT (112), KATYMORY*
Roud #674
RECORDINGS:
Betty Garland, "Katy Dory" (on BGarland01)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The Baffled Knight" [Child 112]
ALTERNATE TITLES:
Katie Dorie
Miss Kitty O'Horey
The Shrewd Maiden
NOTES [102 words]: Authorities differ on whether this ballad, in either its polite or bawdy versions, is related to "The Baffled Knight" (Child 112). - EC
As the notes to Bronson show, though, it is sometimes lumped with that ballad (e.g. by Eddy-BalladsAndSongsFromOhio). As always, readers are advised to check entries under Child #112 for completeness. I unhesitatingly agree with Laws in considering them separate. - RBW
At least for Eddy-BalladsAndSongsFromOhio and Thompson-APioneerSongster, the singer reconsiders Katie's virtues after he is fooled, she consents to marry him, and they live happily "in love and passion." - BS
Last updated in version 4.0
File: LN24
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KATEY MOREY (Digital Tradition Lyrics)
Come all you sly and crafty rogues,
Come listen to my story:
I'll tell you how I worked a plan
To cheat one Katey Morey
cho: With my whack! fol lathero, tathero, leathero,
Whack! fol lathero, tathero lay.
I went down to her father's house,
Just like a clever fellow;
I told her that the plums were ripe
And just begun to mellow
I told her that my sister Sue
Was down in yonder bower,
She wanted her to come down there
And spend one half an hour
[spoken] After I got her there in the bower-
I told her that my sister Sue
Knew nothing of the matter;
"You must comply, or you must die!
I have no time to flatter"
My hand she squeezed, she seemed to be pleased,
There's one thing more appeased her:
"My father, he is coming this way,
He will catch us here, sir!
"But if you will strive to climb this tree
While father's gone away, sir,
Then we'll go down in yonder brake,
There we'll sport and play, sir"
Then I strove to climb the tree,
Not being the least offended,
Whilst Katey Morey stood at the roots
To see how I ascended
I twitched, I jerked, and made such work,
It stuck right into my crop, sir,
I cussed, I swore, my britches tore,
Until I reached the top, sir
Kate says to me, "You're up the tree,
You look much like an owl, sir;
You can eat your plums and crack your stones,
And have your fun alone, sir"
Kate, she heeled her over the plains
Just like a maid distracted;
I cussed, I swore at Katey More'
To see how she had acted
Next morning, when the sun come out,
I wasn't the least offended;
So I went to Kate and I married her,
And now my britches get mended
Now I've clumb the tallest tree
That ever bore a plum, sir;
We'll try the slip for grafting it,
And see what fruit it'll be, sir
My song is crossed up, I've sung enough,
It's time to quit my rhyming:
But every time Kate smiles at me,
She makes me think of climbing
Child #112
Roud-11
From Folk Songs of the Catskills,Cazden Haufrecht and Studer
Collected from George and Dick Edwards
Laws N24
@trick @marriage
filename[ KATYMORY
TUNE FILE: KATYMORY
CLICK TO PLAY
RG
I checked the song in Cazden's Folk Songs of the Catskills. The DT lyrics are an exact transcription of the lyrics in Cazden, Haufrecht, and Studer.