Barbara Ellen

Trad. inglese, XVII sec. (?)

Esistono molte versioni di questo brano, sia musicali che poetiche. Tutte raccontano però la storia di Barbara Ellen (o Allen), una ragazza dal cuore duro che solo dopo la morte del suo innamorato si rende conto della propria crudeltà fino a morirne. È stata scelta la versione raccolta da C. Sharp, poiché - unica fra tutte - presenta un ritmo in 5/4 raramente riportato nei manoscritti, anche se tipico della tradizione orale anglosassone.

’Twas in the merry month of May when small birds they were singing
A young man on his death - bed lay for the sake of Barb’ra Ellen.

He sent one of his servants down to the house where she was dwelling,
Saying: "You must come to my master’s house if your name is Barb’ra Ellen".

O slowly she put on her clothes and slowly she came to him,
And when she came to his bedside says she: "Young man, you’re dying".

"I’m not a - dying now just yet: one kiss of thine will cure me";
"One kiss of mine you never shall have, so fare away, young Edwin".

As she was a- walking through the churchyard she heard the big bell tolling,
And every toll it seemed for to say: "Hard - hearted Barb’ra Ellen".

"O come, dear mother, make my bed, o make it long and narrow:
My true love died for me yesterday; I’ll die for him tomorrow".

Now he was buried in the tomb and the other in the quire,
And out of him there sprang a rose and there growed from her sweet brier.

They growed and growed till they reached the top and they could grow no higher,
And then they tied in a true lover’s knot for all true lovers to admire.

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ultimo aggiornamento: 11 gennaio 1999