Marthy Wept (Mary Wept and Marthy Moaned)

DESCRIPTION: "Marthy wept and Mary moaned, A-weeoing on a willow tree -- tree -- tree, Don't you know? A-weeping...." "What did you do with my Lord? I left him on the other shore." "What did you do with that sinful man...."
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1932 (Henry, collected from Mrs. Samuel Harmon)
KEYWORDS: religious Jesus burial
FOUND IN: US(Ap)
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Henry-SongsSungInTheSouthernAppalachians, p. 190, "Marthy Wept" (1 text)
Roud #12123
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "We're All Surrounded" (lyrics)
NOTES [88 words]: The reference to "Martha wept and Mary cried" is presumably a reference to the sisters of Lazarus who mourned over their brother in John 11. The mention of a willow is not directly related to Jesus; the word "willow" is not even used in the King James New Testament. The reference is probably to Psalm 137.
The question, "What did you do with my Lord?" seems to be an allusion to John 20:15. The question "What did you do with that sinful man" isn't ever asked in that form, though there are plenty of warnings to sinners. - RBW
File: MHAp190

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