Lass of Roch Royal (Child #76)
Traditional, arr. Calhoun, unrecorded
Love Gregory is trapped in his mother's world. His mother impersonates his voice - an act of witchcraft; perhaps the storm is one as well. Several ballads feature nasty parents, who co-opt their children's identities.
"Oh, who will shoe my foot so small
And who will glove my hand?
And who will lace my slender waist
With the long, long linen band?
"And who will comb my yellow hair
With the azure bayberry comb"
And who will father my young son
Till Love Gregory comes home?"
"Your mother will shoe your foot so small
Your father will glove your hand
Your sister will lace your slender waist
With the new made linen band
Your brother will comb your yellow hair
With the azure bayberry comb
And God above will father your son
Till Love Gregory comes home"
"Oh, who will build a bonny ship
And set it on the sea?
That I may go to seek my love,
My own love Gregory "
Her father built a bonny ship
And set it on the sea
With four and twenty mariners
To keep her company
When she had sailed the sea, the sea
About a month or more
She safely landed her good ship
Near to her true love's door
The night was wet and the wind blew high
And her love was fast asleep
The babe she carried in her arms
For cold began to weep
Long stood she at Love Gregory's door
And long she rang the bell
At length rose up Love Gregory's mother,
Says, "who is that, pray tell?
"Oh it is Annie of Roch Royal
Your love come o'er the sea
I've got your young son in my arms
Come open the door to me"
"Away with you, ye wile woman
Ye've not come here for good
Ye're but some witch or wile warlock
Or mermaid of the flood"
"I am neither a witch nor a wile warlock
Nor mermaid of the sea
But I'm fair Annie of Roch Royal
Come open the door to me"
"Oh don't ye remember Gregory
When we sat at the wine
You changed the rings from our fingers
And I can show thee thine
"Oh, don't ye remember Gregory
When we sat on yon hill
Ye twined me of my maidenhead
And sore against my will
But open the door, Love Gregory,
Open the door I pray
Or your young son that's in my arms
May die before 'tis day"
"Away with you, ye wile woman
An ill death may ye die
Go hide your shame deep in yon sea
Or hang on the gallows high"
Slowly, slowly went she back
As the day began to peep
She set foot on good ship board
And bitterly did weep
"Take down, take down the sails of silk
Put up the sails of skin
It ill befits to make a show
When there's no joy within."
Love Gregory rose out of his sleep
And to his mother said,
"I dreamed a dream now mother dear
That filled my heart with dread
"I dreamed fair Annie of Roch Royal
The flower of all her kin
Was standing mourning at the door
With none to let her in"
"There was a woman here last night
With a baby in her arms
But I wouldn't open the door to her
For fear she'd done ye harm"
"Oh, woe betide ye, ill woman
To think it not a sin
That you wouldn't come to waken me
To let poor Annie in."
Then quickly, quickly rose he up
And from the gate he ran
And when he spied fair Annie's ship
He whistled and he sang
"Hey Annie!" and "how Annie!"
And, "Annie, won't ye bide"
But aye the louder he cried "Annie!"
The broader grew the tide
"Hey Annie!" and "how Annie!"
"Dear Annie, speak to me!"
But aye the more that he cried "Annie!"
The higher roared the sea
The sky grew dark and the sea grew rough
And the ship was tumbled o'er
Fair Annie floats upon the main
But her young son rose no more
Love Gregory wrung his hands and ran
And plunged into the tide
And sore he fought the raging sea
Till he was at her side
He caught her by the yellow hair
And drew her to the strand
But oh, her limbs were cold and stiff
Before they reached the land
And it's first he kissed her cheek, her cheek
And then he kissed her chin
And then he kissed her cold white lips
Though there was no breath within
"Oh, woe betide ye, cruel mother
High hanged may ye be.
That you turned my true love from my door
When she came so far to me"