“Fair Eleanor (II)”
Description
Johnny meets Eleanor "in the middle of the night" to go "and married we will be." In the woods he tells her to strip and he "will be your butcher." She begs for mercy but he stabs her to death. He is imprisoned "in Castlebury jail" until he dies.
Supplemental text
Fair Eleanor (II)
Partial text(s)
*** A ***
Fair Eleanor
From Kenneth Peacock, Songs of the Newfoundland Outports, Volume II,
pp. 608-609. Sung by Charlotte Decker, Parson's Pond, August 1958.
Young Johnny arose in the middle of the night,
And went to his true love and this he did say,
Saying, "Arise you pretty fair maid and come along with me,
I will take you to some clergy and married we will be."
And when that he got her all in the greenwoods,
He says, "Now you fair maid, come strip off your clothes,
Come strip off your clothes, the fine garments that you wear,
And I will be your butcher this good night I'll declare."
(Stanzas 1, 3 of 6)
Cross references
- cf. "Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight [Child 4]" (plot)
- cf. "Pretty Polly (II)"
References
- Peacock, pp. 608-609, "Fair Eleanor" (1 text, 1 tune)
- ST Pea608 (Partial)
- Roud #9796
- BI, Pea608