English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians

122 Songs and Ballads, and 323 Tunes With Lyrics & sheet Music - online book

	Lord Thomas and Fair Ellinor
	12   Lord Thomas, Lord Thomas, is this your bride ? I think she's very brown ; When you once might have had as fair a lady As ever the sun shined on. 13   This brown girl she had a knife in her hand, And the blade both keen and sharp. 'Twixt the long ribs and the short She pierced it through fair Ellender's heart. 14   Fair Ellen, fair Ellen, he replied, What makes you look so pale ? Your cheeks were once the rosy red, And all your fine color has failed. 15   Lord Thomas, Lord Thomas, she replied, Are you blind, or cannot you see ? Or don't you see my own heart's blood Come twinkling down so free ? 16   Lord Thomas had a sword hung by his side With a blade both keen and sharp. He cut this brown girl's head smooth off And cleaved the body apart. 17   And then he pointed toward the floor With the point toward his heart. Did you ever see three own true loves Sudden in death to part ? 18   Go dig my grave both wide and deep And paint my coffin black, And put fair Ellender in my arms And the brown girl at my back. c 58