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| This is a Canadian variant of The Drowsy Sleeper. It was collected by Malcolm Laws and Vance Randolph and was known throughout Canada and the United States. It was published in the Journal of American Folklore in 1907. One of the variants Randolph collected dates back to 1878.
The song has a long oral tradition and at some point became entangled with The Silver Dagger. Doerflinger notes it is an "Anglo-Irish" song, and variants were collected in Somerset, Sussex and Dorset. There is also a Scottish variant named I Will Put My Ship in Order. |
Who is at my window weeping, Weeping there so bitterly? "It's I, it's I, your own true loved one Arise, arise and pity me." "Darling, go and ask your mother If thou my wedding bride will be If she says no, return and tell me. No longer will I trouble thee." "How can I go and ask my mother For I'm her only child and dear? Oh, darling, go and seek some other," She softly whispered in his ear. "Darling, go and ask your father If thou my wedding bride will be If he says no, return and tell me. No longer will I trouble thee." "My father's on his bed a-sleeping With a shining sword placed on his breast All for to slay my own true loved one, To slay the lad that I love best." Then William took the shining sword And pierced it through his aching heart "Adieu, adieu to all false loved ones. Adieu, adieu, we both shall part." Then Mary took the blood-stained sword And pierced it through her lily white breast. "Adieu, adieu to my cruel parents. Adieu, adieu, we both shall rest." |
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From The Great Canadian Tunebook and American Balladry from British Broadsiads Ozark Folksongs and Songs of the Sailor and Lumberman See Bibliography for full information. Also from Steve Roud's Folksong Index. |
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