Lord Thomas and Fair Ellender

Lyrics

[Verse 1] "Oh mother, oh mother, come riddle it down Come riddle two hearts as one Say must I marry fair Ellender Or bring the brown girl home?" "The brown girl she has house and lands Fair Ellender she has none Oh, the best advice I can give you, my son Is go bring me the brown girl home" [Verse 2] He rode till he come to fair Ellender's gate He tingled the bell with his cane No one so ready as fair Ellender herself To arise and bid him come in "Oh, what's the news, Lord Thomas?" she cried "What's the news you've brung to me?" "I've come to ask you to my wedding Now what do you think of me?" [Verse 3] "Oh mother, oh mother, come riddle it down Come riddle two hearts as one Oh, must I go to Lord Thomas's wedding Or stay at home and mourn?" "Oh, the brown girl she's got business there You know you have got none Oh, the best advice I can give you, my daughter Is to stay at home and mourn" [Verse 4] She dressed herself in a snow-white dress Her maids they dressed in green And every town that they rode through They took her to be some queen She rode till she came to Lord Thomas's gate She pulled all in her rein No one so ready as Lord Thomas himself To arise and bid her come in [Verse 5] He took her by the lily-white hand He led her through the hall He seated her down in a rockin' chair Amongst those ladies all "Is this your bride, Lord Thomas?" she cried "She looks a wonderful brown You once could have married a maiden as fair As ever the sun shall know" [Verse 6] "Dispraise her not, fair Ellender," he cried "Dispraise her not to me For I think more of your little finger Than of her whole body" The brown girl had a little pen knife It bein' both keen and sharp Betwixt the long ribs and the short Pierced fair Ellender to the heart [Verse 7] "Oh, what's the matter?" Lord Thomas he cried "You look so pale and wan You used to have as rosy a color As ever the sun shall know" "Oh, are you blind, Lord Thomas?" she cried "Or is it you cannot see? And can't you see my own heart's blood Come a-trinkling down to my knee?" [Verse 8] Lord Thomas he drew his sword from his side As he run through the hall He cut off the head of his bonny brown bride And kicked it against the wall Then placin' the handle against the wall And the blade a-towards his heart Said, "Did you ever see three true lovers meet That had so soon to part? [Verse 9] "Oh mother, oh mother, go dig my grave And dig it both wide and deep And bury fair Ellender in my arms And the brown girl at my feet"