Cat. #0565 (MFH #40) - As sung by Mrs. Norma Kisner, Springdale, Arkansas on November 25, 1960
VERSE 1
Come Father, come Mother, come riddle me this
Come riddle for both as one
O, shall I go an' marry fair Elender
Or bring the brown girl home
VERSE 2
Th brown girl, she has house an' land
Fair Elender, she has none
Then if I should lend you my say-so
I would say, bring th brown girl home
VERSE 3
Lord Thomas, he rode t' fair Elenders home
He tingled at the latch an' bell
There was none quite so willing as fair Elen 'erself
To arise an' let him in
VERSE 4
Lord Thomas, says she, what is th news
Th news, th news, to me
I have come to ask you to my wedding
It is very bad news, to thee
VERSE 5
A wedding, a wedding, a wedding, said she
That wedding can never be
I thought myself were t' be th bride
An' you the bridegroom for me
I thought myself were t' be th bride
An' you th bridegroom for me
VERSE 6
Come Father, come Mother, come riddle me this
Come riddle for both as one
O, shall I go t' Lord Thomas's wedding
Or must I stay a home
VERSE 7
Your foes are ten hundred
Your friends, ten thousand
Your greatest foes'll be there
Then if I should lend you my say-so
I would rather you would stay at home
VERSE 8
My foes are ten hundred
My friends, ten thousand
An' to Lord Thomas's wedding I'll go
My foes are ten hundred
My friends, ten thousand
An' to Lord Thomas's wedding I'll go
VERSE 9
She dressed her maid in scarlet red
She dressed herself in green
An' every town that she rode through
They took her to be some queen
Every town that she rode through
They took her to be some queen
VERSE 10
She rode within a half a mile of th town
She halted, she heard th bridle bell ring
She rode within a quarter mile of th town
She halted, she heard th wedding bell ring
An' then she rode t' Lord Thomas's house
She tingled at th latch an' bell
There was none quite so willing as Lord Thomas, himself
To arise an' let her in
VERSE 11
He took her by th lily white hand
Her led her through th hall
He sit her down in a golden chair
At th head of th company all
VERSE 12
Lord Thomas says she, is this your bride
You have brought me here for t' see
Or is it only a waiting maid
You have brought for to wait upon me
VERSE 13
But if she be your bride
I think she looks wonderfully brown
When once, you could wed as fair a maid
As ever th sun did shine on
When once, you could'a wed as fair a maid
As ever th sun did shine on
VERSE 14
Th brown girl had a pen knife in her hand
It was both sharp an' keen
B'tween th long ribs and th short
She pierced fair Elenders heart
VERSE 15
Fair Elender, what t'is th matter, said he
I think you look wonderfully pale
When one should a bare as good a color
As ever a rose did in bloom
VERSE 16
Lord Thomas, says she, O, are you blind
Or can't you very well see
Th brown girl, with a knife in her hand
Which is both sharp an' keen
An' between my long ribs an' my short
I'm sure she pierced my heart
An' I think I feel my own hearts blood
A trinkiling down from me
VERSE 17
Lord Thomas, he sit with a sword by his side
It was both sharp an' keen
He chopped th brown girls head off of her shoulders
An' he threw it against th wall
VERSE 18
Saying, friends go dig my grave
Go dig it both long and wide
An' likewise dig it deep
An' bury fair Elender in my arms
An' th brown girl at my feet
An' bury fair Elender in my arms
An' th brown girl at my feet
VERSE 19
He put th bottom of th sword to th floor
Th point unto his breast
Saying, here is th end of three true lovers
Lord, send their souls to rest
Saying, here is th end of three true lovers
Lord, send their souls to rest