Page:Journal of American Folklore vol. 12.djvu/459

 Early American Ballads. 1 1 1

A crying, crying as he went, That cruel, cruel, sarpient. Lalalu, lalalu, lalalu, lalalu, Lalalu, lalalu, lia. 1

E.

On Springfield mountains there did dwell A comely youth, known full well, Leftenant Curtis' only son, A comely youth just twenty-one.

One day this lovely youth did go Down in the meadow for to mow ; He had not mowed half round the field Fore a pizen sarpint bit his heel.

He looked around, but looked in vain, No one came nigh, for to ease his pain ; So he made up his mind his time had come, And laid his head on a cold stun.

So this young man gave up the ghost, And forth to Abraham's bosom did post, Out of the meadow where he came to mow, With nubbody nigh for to see him go. 2

��He took the sarpint in his hand,

And straightway went to Molly Bland ;

Now Molly had a holler tooth,

And the poison entered and killed them both. 3

G.

In the preceding paper, I have noted that the song had been printed by George H. Derby, or, according to his pseudonym, John Phoenix, author of the " Squibob Papers," New York, 1865. In this version the ballad went as follows : —

On Springfield mounting, thar did dwell, A likely youth, I knowed him well ; Leftenant Carter's only son, A comely youth, nigh twenty-one.

1 Contributed by Mr W. H. Payne, of South Haven, Mich., as learned fifty years ago.

2 Contributed by Mrs. J. E. Dunham, Muncie, Ind., whose father, a native of Vermont, used the song as a lullaby.

3 Contributed by Mrs. M. L. Debarry, Rockford, 111., as the last verse of a song learned more than fifty-five years ago from an old servant ; the melody impressed her as quaint and striking.

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