THE ILLUSTRATED BOOK OF MURDER BALLADS (working title) by: Katy Horan

concept: 

An illustrated collection of Murder Ballads (traditional folk songs that tell the tale of a murder), such as “Wind and Rain”, “The Bloody Gardener”, “Pretty Polly” and “The Cruel Mother”. 

This is an art book intended for adults who love music, art or both. 

the book: 

In my vision of the book, the lyrics of each ballad serve as the text and will be accompanied by full color illustrations (see page mock ups below). In addition, the book would come with a record of musicians playing the selected ballads. The record could consist of either a single artists playing the songs or a compilation of multiple artists. The illustrations and book itself would be done in a square album format to fit the record. I want to give people the opportunity to enjoy the visual and audible at the same time. 

Individual illustrations

Page mock ups: 

Selected Murder Ballads text:

WIND AND RAIN

There were two sisters of county Clair
Oh, the wind and rain
One was dark and the other was fair
Oh, the dreadful wind and rain

And they both had a love of the miller's son
Oh, the wind and rain
But he was fond of the fairer one
Oh, the dreadful wind and rain

So she pushed her into the river to drown
Oh, the wind and rain
And watched her as she floated down
Oh, the dreadful wind and rain

And she floated till she came to the miller's pond
Oh, the wind and the rain
Dead on the water like a golden swan
Oh, the dreadful wind and rain

As she came to rest on the riverside
Oh, the wind and the rain
And her bones were washed by the rolling tide
Oh, the dreadful wind and rain

And along the road came a fiddler fair
Oh, the wind and rain
And found her bones just a lying there, cried
Oh, the dreadful wind and rain

So he made a fiddle peg of her long finger bone
Oh, the wind and the rain
He a made a fiddle peg of her long finger bone, crying
Oh, the dreadful wind and rain

And he strung his fiddle bow with her long yeller hair
Oh, the wind and the rain
He strung his fiddle bow with her long yeller hair, cried
Oh, the dreadful wind and rain

And he made a fiddle, fiddle of her breast bone
Oh, the wind and rain
He made a fiddle, fiddle of her breast bone, cried
Oh, the dreadful wind and rain

But the only tune that the fiddle could play was
Oh, the wind and rain
The only tune that the fiddle would play was
Oh, the dreadful wind and rain

THE BLOODY GARDENER

t's of a lady fair and a shepherd's daughter dear,
She was courted by her own true heart's delight.
But his mother laid a snare and false letters did prepare,
Saying, “Meet me in the garden, dear, this night.”

So this young maid arose and into the garden goes
Expecting there to meet her heart's delight,
She searched the garden round but no true love she found
And at length the bloody gardener come in sight.

He said, “My pretty maid, what's brought you here this way,
And have you come to rob me of my flowers so gay?”
She cried, “No thief I am, I'm in search of some young man
Who promised that he'd meet me here this day.”

Then he took out his knife, cut the single thread of life
And he laid her virtuous body in the ground;
And with flowers fine and gay this maid did overlay
In a way her body never should be found.

Her true love lay asleep on a mossy bank so sweet
And a milk-white dove come fluttering round his face;
And with battering wings so sweet all around this young man's feet,
And when he rose this dove she flew away.

This dove, she flew away and perched on a myrtle tree
And the young man followed full of grieve and pain.
Down from the tree so tall right on her grave did fall
The fresh blood from her breast like crimson rain.

Oh, this young man in anger rose and unto to his home did go
Saying, “Mother dear, you've lost me my delight,
You've robbed me of my joy, my jewel and my toy,
And now with my darling I'll take flight.”

Additional Murder Ballads to be considered:

PRETTY POLLY

Oh Polly, Pretty Polly, would you take me unkind 
Polly, Pretty Polly, would you take me unkind 
Let me set beside you and tell you my mind 
Well my mind is to marry and never to part 
My mind is to marry and never to part 
The first time I saw you it wounded my heart 
Oh Polly Pretty Polly come go along with me 
Polly Pretty Polly come go along with me 
Before we get married some pleasures to see 
Oh he led her over mountains and valleys so deep 
He led her over hills and valleys so deep 
Pretty Polly mistrusted and then began to weep 
Oh Willie, Little Willie, I'm afraid to of your ways 
Willie, Little Willie, I'm afraid of your ways 
The way you've been rambling you'll lead me astray 
Oh Polly, Pretty Polly, your guess is about right 
Polly, Pretty Polly, your guess is about right 
I dug on your grave the biggest part of last night 
then he led her a little farther and what did she spy
then he led her a little farther and what did she spy
a new dug grave with a spade lying by.
Oh she knelt down before him a pleading for her life 
She knelt down before him a pleading for her life 
Let me be a single girl if I can't be your wife 
Oh Polly, Pretty Polly that never can be 
Polly, Pretty Polly that never can be 
Your past recitation's been trouble to me 
Then he opened up her bosom as white as any snow
he opened up her bosom as white as any snow
he stabbed her through the heart and the blood did overflow
Oh went down to the jailhouse and what did he say 
He went down to the jailhouse and what did he say 
I've killed Pretty Polly and trying to get away 

THE CRUEL MOTHER

There was a lady lived in York,
All alone and a loney,
A farmer's son he courted her
All down by the greenwood sidey.

He courted her for seven long years.
All alone and a loney,
At last she proved in child for him.
All down by the greenwood sidey.

She pitched her knee against a tree,
All alone and a loney,
And there she found great misery.
All down by the greenwood sidey.

She pitched her back against a thorn,
All alone and a loney,
And there she had her baby born.
All down by the greenwood sidey.

She drew the fillet off her head.
All alone and a loney,
She bound the baby's hands and legs.
All down by the greenwood sidey.

She drew a knife both long and sharp.
All alone and a loney,
She pierced the baby's innocent heart.
All down by the greenwood sidey.

She wiped the knife upon the grass.
All alone and a loney,
The more she wiped, the blood run fast.
All down by the greenwood sidey.

She washed her hands all in the spring.
All alone and a loney,
Thinking to turn a maid again.
All down by the greenwood sidey.

As she was going to her father's hall,
All alone and a loney,
She saw three babes a-playing at ball.
All down by the greenwood sidey.

One dressed in silk, the other in satin,
All alone and a loney,
The other stark-naked as ever was born.
All down by the greenwood sidey.

O, dear baby, if you was mine,
All alone and a loney,
I'd dress you in silk and satin so fine.
All down by the greenwood sidey.

O, dear mother, I once was thine.
All alone and a loney,
You would never dress me coarse or fine.
All down by the greenwood sidey.

The coldest earth it was my bed.
All alone and a loney,
The green grass was my coverlet.
All down by the greenwood sidey.

O, mother, mother, for your sin,
All alone and a loney,
Heaven gate you shall not enter in.
All down by the greenwood sidey.

There is a fire beyond hell's gate,
All alone and a loney,
And there you shall burn both early and late.
All down by the greenwood sidey.