Some annotations

[Jorn Barger <barger@aristotle.ils.nwu.edu>]

Oakley doakley, here's what I promised:

A "goose moon" or "goose month" is American Indian for the month (late March
to late April) when the Canada goose returns from the south, or for the
full moon during that period.

Lyrics to "Lizie Wan":

(version 1)

Lizie Wan sits in her father's bower-door,
  Weeping and making a mane, [moan?]
And by there came her father dear:
  "What ails thee, Lizie Wan?"

"I ail, and I ail, dear father," she said,
  "And I'll tell you a reason for why;
There is a child between my twa sides,
  Between my dear billy and I."

Now Lizie Wan sits at her father's bower-door,
  Sighing and making a mane,
And by there came her brother dear:
  "What ails thee, Lizie Wan?"

"I ail, I ail, dear brither," she said,
  "And I'll tell you a reason for why;
There is a child between my twa sides,
  Between you, dear billy, and I."

"And hast thou tald father and mother o that?
  And hast thou tald sae o me?" [told so of me]
And he has drawn his gude braid sword, [good long sword]
  That hang down by his knee.

And he has cutted aff Lizie Wan's head,
  And her fair body in three,
And he's awa to his mother's bower,
  And sair [sorely] aghast was he.

"What ails thee, what ails thee, Geordy Wan?
  What ails thee sae fast to rin?
For I see by thy ill colour
  Some fallow's [felon's?] deed thou hast done."

"Some fallow's deed I have done, mother,
  And I pray you pardon me;
For I've cutted aff my greyhound's head;
  He wadna rin for me."

"Thy greyhound's bluid was never sae red,
  O my son Geordy Wan.
For I see by thy ill colour
 Some fallow's deed thou hast done."

"Some fallow's deed I hae done, mother,
  And I pray you pardon me;
For I hae cutted aff Lizie Wan's head
  And her fair body in three."

"O what wilt thou do when thy father comes hame,
  O my son Geordie Wan?"
"I'll set my foot in a bottomless boat,
  And swim to the sea-ground."

"And when will thou come hame again,
  O my son Geordy Wan?" [now pay attention this is the good part....]
"The sun and the moon shall dance on the green
  That night when I come hame."

(version 2)

Fair Lucy was sitting in her own cabin door,
Making her laments alone;
Who should come by but her own mother dear,
Saying, "What makes Fair Lucy mourn?"

"I have a cause for to grieve," she said,
"And a reason for to mourn;
For the babe that lies in the cradle asleep,
Dear mother, it is his own."

Fair Lucy was sitting in her own cabin door,
Making her laments alone;
Who should come by but her own brother dear,
Saying, "What makes Fair Lucy mourn?"

"I have a cause for to grieve," she said,
"And a reason for to mourn;
For the babe that lies in the cradle asleep,
Dear brother, it is your own."

He took her by the lily-white hand
And he led her into the woods;
What he did there, I never can declare,
But he spilt Fair Lucy's blood.

"O, what is that upon your frock,
My son, come tell to me."
"It is one drop of Fair Lucy's blood,
And that you plainly can see."

"What will your father say to you,
When he returns to me?"
"I shall step my foot on board a ship,
And my face he never shall see."

"What will you do with your three little babes,
My son, come tell to me?"
"I shall leave them here at my father's command,
For to keep him companee."

"What will you do with your pretty little wife,
My son, come tell to me?"
"She shall step her foot on board a ship,
And sail the ocean with me."

"What will you do with your houses and lands,
My son, come tell to me?"
"I shall leave them here at my father's command,
For to set my children free."

"When will you return again,
My son, come tell to me?" [still with me?]
"When the sun and the moon set on yonders green hill,
And I'm sure that never can be."


These are from "The Ballad Book" by MacEdward Leach.

Version 1 is from Scotland, version 2 from Vermont (!).

--jorn