 | English-gipsy songs |  |
65
THE WILFUL GIRL.
So early on Christmas morning,
No other sound was there,
But bells far off a-ringing
Through the silent frosty air.
No other sound was there,
But bells far off a-ringing
Through the silent frosty air.
So early on Christmas morning,
Between the dark and dawn,
When the stars were going like pigeons,
As the day like a hawk came on;
Between the dark and dawn,
When the stars were going like pigeons,
As the day like a hawk came on;
I heard a noise in the forest,
The voice of a wailing man;
And then a rustling, crackling,
As though a fire began.
The voice of a wailing man;
And then a rustling, crackling,
As though a fire began.
I hurried to the burning,
And there upon a rock,
Beside his blazing waggon,
Sat the Gipsy Vester Lock.
And there upon a rock,
Beside his blazing waggon,
Sat the Gipsy Vester Lock.
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“Oh, have you buried your father?
And, like a Rommany true,
Are you burning up his waggon,
As the real old Rommanis do?
And, like a Rommany true,
Are you burning up his waggon,
As the real old Rommanis do?
“Or is it your good old mother,
Who looked in so many a hand?
She will read no more the future
Since she's gone to the future land.”
Who looked in so many a hand?
She will read no more the future
Since she's gone to the future land.”
“My father is still in London,
And my mother is here,” said he.
“This is burnt for a girl who is living,
But dead for ever to me.
And my mother is here,” said he.
“This is burnt for a girl who is living,
But dead for ever to me.
“And whether she walk the South or West,
Or live by East or North,
That wicked girl is in her grave
To me from this day forth.
Or live by East or North,
That wicked girl is in her grave
To me from this day forth.
“Last week we were to marry,
With a dinner and a ball;
And our Rommany rye—you know him—
Got it ready, and paid for all!
With a dinner and a ball;
And our Rommany rye—you know him—
Got it ready, and paid for all!
“The rye was on the sofa,
The priest was in his chair;
We waited for Otchamé,
But Otchamé was not there.
The priest was in his chair;
We waited for Otchamé,
But Otchamé was not there.
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“So it all broke up in sorrow,
And we all went off in shame,
(Though we stayed till dinner was over),
Otchamé never came.
And we all went off in shame,
(Though we stayed till dinner was over),
Otchamé never came.
“And I heard that she said she did it
Because I loved her so,
That for twice the trick and trouble
I never would let her go.
Because I loved her so,
That for twice the trick and trouble
I never would let her go.
“We met, and she said she was sorry,—
That I still should be her rom,
And the next time to the wedding
She would really be sure to come!
That I still should be her rom,
And the next time to the wedding
She would really be sure to come!
“But I said: While there's dust on the highway,
And water is in the sea,
There will never be a wedding
In the world between you and me.
And water is in the sea,
There will never be a wedding
In the world between you and me.
“If every hair of your ringlets
Was a spangle of shining gold,
I never would ask to marry
A maiden so bad and bold.
Was a spangle of shining gold,
I never would ask to marry
A maiden so bad and bold.
“If you had as many fingers
As a hedgehog has pins to show,
And all with rings close crowded,
Whenever you came I'd go.
As a hedgehog has pins to show,
And all with rings close crowded,
Whenever you came I'd go.
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“And because you have been so cruel,
And served me such a turn,
I've a waggon I meant to give you,
And now that waggon I'll burn.”
And served me such a turn,
I've a waggon I meant to give you,
And now that waggon I'll burn.”
He wept, and among the people
Who had stayed to hear him through,
I saw a Gentile standing,
And the Gentile was weeping too.
Who had stayed to hear him through,
I saw a Gentile standing,
And the Gentile was weeping too.
And I asked him, “Is it the story
Which causes the tears to rise?
Or the smoke of the burning waggon
That so affects your eyes?”
Which causes the tears to rise?
Or the smoke of the burning waggon
That so affects your eyes?”
He answered, “I'm not affected
By the smoke nor by what he said;
But I sold him that waggon on credit,
And I know I shall never be paid.”
By the smoke nor by what he said;
But I sold him that waggon on credit,
And I know I shall never be paid.”
No more he wasn't, and never,
While water is in the sea,
Will he ever get a copper
From the heart-broken Rommany.
While water is in the sea,
Will he ever get a copper
From the heart-broken Rommany.
Charles G. Leland.
in the foregoing ballad. It is all literally true, even to the remark as to the hairs of the head being spangles. The only liberty taken with the truth has been in making the unfortunate man from whom the waggon was purchased a weeping eye-witness. It is, however, a fact that this highly interesting sacrifice was entirely “upon tick.” I have omitted to state that the mortified lover also broke his watch to fragments; but, with some of the inconsistency characteristic of Gipsies, Indians, and other grown-up children, he carefully collected and sold the fragments, as well as the iron portions of the waggon.
English Gipsies not only frequently burn or destroy all that belonged to their dead relations, but sometimes, when urged by strong emotions, make sacrifices like the one described
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