Lady Margaret

Part of an Appalachian ballad I’ve been singing for a long time. I love the imagery in this song when Sweet William, who’s chosen to marry a woman he doesn’t love, has a vision of not only Lady Margaret’s ghost “swimming in blood,” but of his halls swarming with wild hogs. In the middle ages, hogs had associations with the antichrist, chaos, fortitude and the voracious side of nature. Ballads are such a great source of horror stories!

I learned this one from the singing of Sheila Kay Adams!

Lady Margaret’s in her room
Sitting in her high hall chair
Saw Sweet William and his new-made bride
Riding down the road so near

She threw down her ivory comb
Threw back her long yellow hair
Said, “I’ll go down and I’ll bid him farewell
And I’ll never more go there”

It was late all in the night
They were fast asleep
Lady Margaret appeared all dressed in white
Standing at their bed feet

Saying “How do you like your snow white pillows?
How do you like your sheets?
And how do you like that pretty fair miss
Who’s laying in your arms asleep?

“It’s well I like these snow white pillows
Well I like these sheets
Far better I love that pretty fair miss
Who stands at my bed feet”

“Last night I dreamed a terrible dream
Such dreams they are no good
For I dreamed my hall was filled with wild swine
And my true love swimming in blood”