“The Orphan”

Description

"Will you hear my mournful story? All my friends are dead and gone. Father is no more, nor mother; I'm an orphan left alone." The singer recalls mother's death, and her dying injunction to obey the Bible. She visits the graveyard, and hopes to join mother

Supplemental text

Orphan, The
  Partial text(s)

          *** A ***

The Orphan Girl

From Harvey H. Fuson, Ballads of the Kentucky Highlands, p. 147.
"From singing of Mrs. C. M. Moses."

Come, listen to my dreadful story,
All my friends are dead and gone;
And here I stay, away among strangers,
While an orphan left alone.

Brothers and sisters have I none,
For they are all dead and gone;
And here I stay, away among strangers,
While a poor orphan left alone.

(3 additional stanzas)

Cross references

• cf. "The Fisherman's Girl" (theme)

References

1. Belden, pp. 278-279, "The Orphan" (2 texts)
2. BrownII 152, "The Orphan" (1 text plus mention of 1 more)
3. Fuson, p. 147, "The Orphan Girl" (1 text)
4. ST Beld278 (Partial)
5. Roud #4193
6. BI, Beld278