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| This is a variant of The Two Brothers, collected in the Appalachians. The first mention of the ballad in print is an inquiry for more information by Jamieson in The Scots Magazine, 1803.
The story is said to be based on an incident in 1589 that occurred near Edinburgh. One of the Somervilles accidentally shot and killed his brother. According to Child another possible origin for the story took place in 1682 when a thirteen year old boy killed his brother because his brother had been pulling his hair. The tune is Child Ballad #49 (The Twa Brothers). Variants and alternate titles include: The Cruel Brother, The Twa Brithers, The Wood o Warslin', and John and William. This version is from Maine. In most of the variants the death is accidental, however, in some it is murder. In a German version the bride is killed by her brother. For a complete list of Child Ballads at this site see Francis J. Child Ballads. |
Will you go to the rolling of the stones Or the dancing of the ball? Or will you go and see pretty Susie And dance among them all I will not go to the rolling of the stones Or the tossing of the ball But I will go and see pretty Susie And dance among them all They hadn't danced but a single dance More than once or twice around Before the sword at her true love's side Gave him his fatal wound They picked him up and carried him away For he was sore distressed They carried him and buried him all in the greenwoods Where he was wont to rest Pretty Susie she came awandering by With a tablet under her arm Until she came to her true love's grave And she began to charm She charmed the fish out of the sea And the birds out of their nests She charmed her true love out of his grave So he could no longer rest Will you go to the rolling of the stones Or the dancing of the ball? Or will you go and see pretty Susie And dance among them all I will not go to the rolling of the stones Or the tossing of the ball But I will go and see pretty Susie And dance among them all |
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| From
Folk Songs of Old New England and The English and Scottish Popular Ballads See Bibliography for full information. And Digital Tradition |
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