There was a lady lived in the West counteree and children she had three,

voiceCollected by Merlin Mitchell Transcribed by Kyle Perrin West Counterie Fred High Reel 7 Item 2 High, Ark. February 20, 1950 M •• ••• Well, that's interesting. Can you sing us another of those old songs? High •• Well, now the one I sang over there and the one the boys wanted so bad--there's the picture like that one that's up there on the wall-- that the boy wanted so bad is--it's a--this May that sings at--talks at Springfield--May--uh-- M• ••••M ay Kennedy McCord . High •• May Kennedy McCord . She spoke of this here song that I ' m about to sang now. M• •••• Good . High • • And I heard her over the radio the other day and hits a--hits about a woman that lost her childern. And that's the one the boys wanted-- it's the first one that ever I learnt and I sang it over at Uricky Springs. I can sang it perty well. M• ••••T hat's fine . Go ahead with that one. High •• We'lljust sang it right now. There was a lady lived in the West counteree and children she had three, She sent them away to the North counteree for to learn the grammar(?) to read . They hadn ' t been gone but a very small while, scarce was twelve months and a day, ' Til Death , oh, Death, spread over the land and swept those babes away. Is there no King in Heaven, she cried, that use to wear a crown, Pray, send me home my three little babes for tonight or in the morning soon. It being nearly at Christmas time, the nights so long and cold, She seen, oh, seen her three little babes come running home early in the morning soon. She set the table right before them and spread it with bread and wine, Says, come, oh, come, my three little babes, come eat and drink of mine . We can' t eat none of your bread , mother, nor drink none of your wine, For just before the break of day our Savior we must jine. Green grass grows at our head, Mother • •• SPOKEN • •••• • • Left out one. M• ••• • Go ahead and get that one you left out . We want 'em all . That's a wonderful song. Go ahead and sing- - She made the beds in the back side room and spread them with clean sheets, And on the top spread a golden cloth for to make a better sleep. Rise you up, rise you up, said the old Dead(?) one, rise you up , rise you up , said he , For, he understands our Savior dear and Him we must obey. Green grass growsat our head , Mother, cold clods lie at our feet , The tears you shed for us , mother, would have wet our winding sheets.Funding for digitization provided by the Arkansas Humanities Council and the Happy Hollow Foundation