LL-L: "Songs" LOWLANDS-L, 23.JAN.2000 (10) [Ap/E]

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From: Margaret [oneko at mindspring.com]
Subject: Songs

Sandy scrievit:

>Now I'm trying to find the Appalachian version of Wildwood Flower that
>someone (I think Margaret Tarbet) submitted, but I can't find it, it must be
>amongst the lost stuff. I've searched everything I have, and the Lowlands-L
>Archive, which it must predate!
>
>I wonder if anybody would be so kind as to resubmit it or email it to me
>direct? I promise to look after it this time!

Guilty as charged, Sandy.  :-)

Ron just sent Fr. Andreas's original version, which is perhaps the
best-known orally-transmitted/folk-processed version (Silver gives
it in his collection without comment :-).  Here's what I believe is
the canonical version from 1860 --it was a composed song that
rapidly passed into the tradition.  First in the dialect in which I
heard it:

Aa will twaan mid the ranglits o' ma wayvin bleck haar
The lilies so pale en the roziz so faar,
The myrtle so green o' un imeruld hyoo
En the pale arynaytus wi aaz o braat blue

Aa will sang and aa will daynss, ma layf shall be gay
Aa will stop this waald weepin, draav sorrer away!
Tho ma hort nao is breakin, he nayver shall know
That hiz name made me trimble, an ma pale cheeks to glow.

He toat me to luv hiim, he call'd me his flaaer
Thet blossum'd fer him all the braater each aarr
But Aa woke from ma dreamin, ma aadol wuz clay
An ma visins uv luv hev oll faydid away.

He toll me he luved me, en promisst to luv
Thru ill and misforchun, all others abuv
Yit anuther has wun him; ah, misry to tayll
He lift me in saalince, no wurd o' faarwill.

Aa will thank o' him nivver, I will be waaldly gay
Aa will chorm ev'ry hort, and the crauwd Aa will sway.
Aa will live yit to see him regrayt the dork aarr
Whin he wun, then niglaycted, hiz frail waaldwud flaaer.

<standard english>

I will twine 'mid the ringlets of my raven black hair
The lilies so pale and the roses so fair
The myrtle so bright with an emerald hue
And the pale aronatus with eyes of bright blue.

I will sing and I will dance, my laugh shall be gay
I will cease this wild weeping, drive sorrow away.
Though my heart is now breaking, he never shall know
That his name made me tremble and my pale cheeks to glow.

He taught me to love him, he called me his flower
That blossomed for him all the brighter each hour
But I woke from my dreaming, my idol was clay
And my visions of love have all faded away.

He told me he loved me, and promised to love
Through ill and misfortune, all others above
Yet another has won him; ah, misery to tell
He left me in silence, no word of farewell.

I will think of him never, I will be wildly gay
I will charm every heart, and the crowd I will sway.
I will live yet to see him regret the dark hour
When he won, then neglected, his frail wildwood flower.

</standard english>

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