"THE DAEMON LOVER"
始於十九世紀英國的傳統, 以界定耳聞口傳的敍事式歌謠稱為 "Ballad"。一首相傳是來自歌謠作家 Laurence Price 的作品, 其原著作已沒有手稿可查據, 有記錄可追溯是1660年, 一本在坊間流傳的民謠歌集當中, 曾有過文字記載而已。
The Daemon Lover 魔鬼愛人
英格蘭西南部 Devonshire 郡的城市 Plymouth, 一位已婚少婦 Jane 與姓氏 Renalds 造船木匠的丈夫, 婚後且育有兩兒, 清貧生活仍和諧共處; 但是, 自從妻子 Jane 的舊戀人出現, 成了一段內容恰如民謠其名, 令人驚慄的悲情故事:
『 任職海員的男子 James Harris, 哄騙舊愛人 Jane 放下家庭與丈夫, 兩人出海作短暫一遊; 給他說服之後, 兩人乘坐舤船相依相偎在海中, Jane 遠望海面地平線的天邊和近處美麗的小島而甚感欣慰, 她的舊情人(Daemon 魔鬼)告知這是兩人要前去的天堂, Jane 禁不住魔鬼的誘惑, 並不知道要面對的正是另一個地方, 舤船正朝着陰暗的山幽(Hell 地獄), 突然海上波濤洶湧, 舤船經不起風浪而沉沒, 兩人不幸同葬身海中; 原來他要同歸於盡, 作報復 Jane 曾給他許下相宿相棲的承諾。最不幸的繼而發生在木匠的丈夫身上, 妻子與舊愛同葬身海上之後, 他亦上吊自殺身亡, 遺下兩個孤兒。』
The Watson Family - "The House Carpenter" - 1963 敍事版
"Well met, well met," said an old true love,
"Well met, well met," said he.
"I'm just returning from the salt, salt sea,
And it's all for the love of thee."
"Come in, come in, my own true love,
And have a sit with me.
It's been three-fourths of a long, long year
Since together we have been."
"I can't come in and I can't sit down,
For I have but a moment's time.
They say you're married to a house carpenter,
And your heart will never be mine."
"I could have married the king's daughter fair,
And she would have married me.
But I have forsaken her crowns of gold,
And it's all for the love of thee."
"Now will you forsake your house carpenter
And go along with me?
I'll take you where the grass grows green
On the banks of Iteree."
She pickd up her little babe
And kisses gave it three.
Saying, "Stay right here, my darling little babe,
And keep your papa company."
They had not been on the ship two weeks,
I'm sure it was not three,
'Til his true love began to weep and mourn,
And she wept most bitterly.
"Are you weeping for my silver and my gold?
Are you weeping for my store?
Or are you weeping for that house carpenter,
Whose face you'll never see any more?"
"A curse, a curse," to the sailor she cried,
"A curse, a curse," she swore.
"You've robbed me of my sweet little babe,
That I never shall see no more."
They had not been on board three weeks,
I'm sure it was not four,
Until there came a leak in the ship,
And it sunk for to rise no more.
DAEMON LOVER - Tim O'Brien - 2001 男女版
Well met, well met, my own true love
Well met, well met, cried he
I've just returned from the salt, salt sea
And it's all for the sake of thee
I've come for the vows that you promised me
To be my partner in life
She said my vows you must forgive
For now I'm a wedded wife
Yes I have married a house carpenter
To him I've born two fine sons
For it's seven long years since you sailed to the west
And I took you for dead and gone
If I was to leave my husband dear
And my two babies also
Just what have you to take me to
If with you I should now go
I have seven ships out upon the sea
And the eighth one that brought me to land
With four and twenty bold mariners
And music on every hand
TOGETHER :
It was then she went to her two little babes
She kissed them on cheek and on chin
Saying fare thee well my sweet little ones
I'll never see you again
They had not sailed much more than a week
I know that it was not three
When altered grew his countinence
And a raging came over the sea
When they reached the shore again
On the far side of the sea
It was there she spied his cloven hoof
And wept most bitterly
Oh what is that mountain yon she cried
So dreary with ice and with snow
It is the mountain of hell he cried
Where you and I now will go
NEXT .... The House Carpenter