"What blood? What blood on th' p'int of your knife?
Dear son, come tell to me."
"Its th' blood of my old grey horse
That plowed th' corn for me, me, me
That plowed the corn for me."
"What blood? What blood on th' p'int of your knife?
Dear son, come tell to me."
"Its the blood of my old Guinea sow
That ate the corn for me, me, me,
That ate the corn for me."
"What blood? What blood on th' p'int of your knife?
Dear son, come tell to me."
"Its the blood of my oldest brother
That fought the battle with me, me, me,
That fought the battle with me."
"What did you an' your dear brother fight about?
Dear son, come tell to me."
"We fit about the holly bush
That grows by the mary tree, tree, tree,
That grows by the mary tree."
"What will you do when your father comes home?
Dear son, come tell to me."
"I'll put my foot in a bunkem boat
An' sail across the sea, sea, sea,
An' sail across the sea."
"What will you do with your pretty little wife?
Dear son, come tell to me."
"I'll put her in the bumken boat
To sail along with me, me, me
To sail along with me."
"What will you do with your pretty little babe?
Dear son, come tell to me."
"I'll leave it all along with you
To dandle on your knee, knee, knee
To dandle on your knee."
abc | midi | pdf
Source: Ozark Folk Songs, Randolph, Ed Norm Cohen,ISBN 0-252-00952-2
Notes:
This is an Ozark version of Child ballad "Edward".
Traditional Ballad Index
Edward [Child 13]
DESCRIPTION: A mother questions her son about his recent deeds and the blood on his weapon. After many evasions, he reveals that he has killed his brother.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1765 (Percy)
KEYWORDS: murder brother questions
FOUND IN: Britain(Scotland(Aber),England) US(Ap,MW,NE,SE,So,SW)
REFERENCES (22 citations):
Child 133, "Edward" (2 texts)
Bronson 13, "Edward" (25 versions -- of which, however, #10 is actually "Lizie Wan")
Percy/Wheatley I, pp. 82-84, "Edward, Edward" (1 text)
Randolph 6, "What Blood on the Point of Your Knife" (4 texts, 3 tunes)
Eddy 6, "Edward" (1 text)
Flanders/Olney, pp. 100-101, "Edward" [listed in error as Child 12] (1 text, 1 tune); see also "Edward Ballad" on pp. 96-100, which is closer to "The Twa Brothers"
Leach, pp. 85-88, "Edward" (3 texts)
OBB 65, "Edward, Edward" (1 text)
Friedman, p. 156, "Edward" (2 texts)
PBB 63, "Edward" (1 text)
Niles 10, "Edward" (1 text, 1 tune)
Lomax-FSNA 9, "Edward" (1 text, 1 tune)
Gummere, pp. 169-170+342, "Edward" (1 text)
Sharp/Karpeles-80E 8, "Edward" (1 text, 1 tune)
Hodgart, p. 119, "Edward" (1 text)
MacSeegTrav 5, "Edward" (1 text, 1 tune)
TBB 7, "Edward" (2 texts)
LPound-ABS, 9, pp. 23-24, "Edward" (1 text)
Darling-NAS, pp. 59-60, "How Come That Blood?" (1 text)
HarvClass-EP1, pp. 56-58, "Edward" (1 text)
Silber-FSWB, p. 223, "Edward" (1 text)
DT 13, EDWARD1* EDWARD2*
RECORDINGS:
Charles Ingenthron, "Edward" [singer calls it, "The Little Yellow Dog," but the LC folklorists retitle it, "Edward"] (AFS; on LC12)
Mrs. Crockett Ward, "Edward" (AFS; on LC57)
Jeannie Robertson, Paddy Tunney, Angela Brasil [composite] "Edward" (on FSB4)
Mary Ellen Connors, Jeannie Robertson, Thomas Moran, Angela Brasil [composite] "Edward" (on FSBBAL1)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Lizie Wan" [Child 65] (plot,lyrics)
ALTERNATE TITLES:
Son Davie, Son Davie
What's That Blood On Your Sword?
The Murdered Brother
The Max Hunter Collection
Hunter #243 Edward
Hunter #253 How Come That Blood on Your Coat Sleeve
Hunter #294 What Is That Blood on Your Coat Sleeve
Hunter #1030 The Two Brothers
Roud: 200 (Search Roud index at VWML)
Laws:
Child: 13