Published between 1882 and 1898, this definitive collection compiles all the extant ballads with all known variants and features Child's commentary for each work. Volume 5 includes Parts IX and X of the original set — ballads 266-305 — plus a 3000-item bibliography, indexes, glossary, musical selections and an essay by Walter Morris Hart.
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P. 1 a, VI, 496 a. Guess or die. Kristensen, Jyske Folkeminder, X, 2, ’ Svend Bondes Spørgsmaal,’ B.
3-5. From Miss M. H. Mason’s Nursery Rhymes and Country Songs, p. 31; sung in Northumberland.
E
1 There was a lady in the West,
Lay the bank with the bonny broom
She had three daughters of the best.
Fa lang the dillo
Fa lang the dillo dillo dee
2 There came a stranger to the gate,
And he three days and nights did wait.
3 The eldest daughter did ope the door,
The second set him on the floor.
4 The third daughter she brought a chair,
And placed it that he might sit there.
(To first daughter.)
5 ‘ Now answer me these questions three,
Or you shall surely go with me.
(To second daughter.)
6 ‘ Now answer me these questions six,
Or you shall surely be Old Nick’s.
(To all three.)
7 ‘ Now answer me these questions nine,
Or you shall surely all be mine.
8 ‘ What is greener than the grass?
What is smoother than crystal glass ?
9 ‘What is louder than a horn ?
What is sharper than a thorn ?
10 ‘What is brighter than the light ?
What is darker than the night?
11 ‘ What is keener than an axe ?
What is softer than melting wax ?
12 ‘ What is rounder than a ring ? ’
‘ To you we thus our answers bring.
13 ‘ Envy is greener than the grass,
Flattery smoother than crystal glass.
14 ‘ Rumour is louder than a horn,
Hunger is sharper than a thorn.
15 ‘Truth is brighter than the light,
Falsehood is darker than the night.
16 ‘Revenge is keener than an axe,
Love is softer than melting wax.
17 ‘ The world is rounder than a ring,
To you we thus our answers bring.
18 ‘ Thus you have our answers nine,
And we never shall be thine.’
Findlay’s MSS, I, 151, from J. Milne.
‘ What’s greener than the grass?
What’s higher than the clouds?
What is worse than women’s tongues ?
What’s deeper than the floods? ’
‘Hollin’s greener than the grass,
Heaven’s higher than the clouds,
The devil’s worse than women’s tongues,
Hell’s deeper than the floods.’
2. The Elfin Knight.
P. 7 b, III, 496 a, IV, 439 a. ’ Store Fordringer,’ Kristensen, Jyske Folkeminder, XI, 175, No 66 (three copies), 294, No 4. ’ Umulige Fordringer,’ Kristensen, Eftersl
t til Skattegraveren, p. 20, No 16.
14 a, II, 495. After the note to 14 a at II, 495, add : C. R. Lanman.
17. Communicated by Mr Walker, of Aberdeen, as sung, 1893, by John Walker, Portlethen ; learned by him from his father, above fifty years before.
1 There was a knight on the head o yon hill
Blowing his horn lood and shrill.
Blow, blow, blow the wind, blow
2 ‘ Ye’se get to me a camrick sark
Without ae steek o needlewark.
3 ‘ An ye will wash it in a wall
Where rain never fell nor water sprang.
4 ‘An ye sail dry it on a thorn
That never wis sprung sin Adam was born.’
5 ‘Ye ‘se gie me an acre o red lan
Atween the see an the watery san.
6 ‘ An ye will plough it wi yer horn,
An sa it a’ wi ae pick o corn.
7 ‘ . . .
An cut it doon wi a sheepshank bone.
8 ‘ An ye will big it in the sea,
An bring the foonshief dry to me.
9 ‘ An when ye have done and finished yer wark,
Come in, Jock Sheep, an ye’ll get yer sark.’
As delivered, 5-8 precede 2-4.
17, 484 b. M. Findlay’s MSS, I, 21, from the recitation of Jeany Meldrum, Framedrum, Forfarshire.
17, II, 495 b. In The Monthly Chronicle of North Country Lore and Legend, III, 7, ’ Whittingham Fair’ is given by Mr Stokoe with a few variations.
1. Seconde line of refrain,
For once she was a true lover of mine.
2, 4. Second line of refrain,
Then she shall be a true lover.
3. Second line of refrain,
And she shall be a true lover.
5. Second line of refrain,
Before he shall be a true lover.
6. Second line of refrain,
Then he shall be a true lover.
7, 8, 9. Second line of refrain,
And he shall be a true lover.
61. to buy. 81. to sheer’t.
After 8 : Tell him to thrash it on yonder wall,
And never let one...
Table of contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
ADVERTISEMENT TO PART IX
Table of Contents
266 - JOHN THOMSON AND THE TURK
267 - THE HEIR OF LINNE
268 - THE TWA KNIGHTS
269 - LADY DIAMOND
270 - THE EARL OF MAR’S DAUGHTER
271 - THE LORD OF LORN AND THE FALSE STEWARD
272 - THE SUFFOLK MIRACLE
273 - KING EDWARD THE FOURTH AND A TANNER OF TAMWORTH
274 - OUR GOODMAN
275 - GET UP AND BAR THE DOOR
276 - THE FRIAR IN THE WELL
277 - THE WIFE WRAPT IN WETHER’S SKIN
278 - THE FARMER’S CURST WIFE
279 - THE JOLLY BEGGAR
280 - THE BEGGAR-LADDIE
281 - THE KEACH I THE CREEL
282 - JOCK THE LEG AND THE MERRY MERCHANT
283 - THE CRAFTY FARMER
284 - JOHN DORY
285 - THE GEORGE ALOE AND THE SWEEPSTAKE
286 - THE SWEET TRINITY (THE GOLDEN YANITY)
287 - CAPTAIN WARD AND THE RAINBOW
288 - THE YOUNG EARL OF ESSEX’S VICTORY OVER THE EMPEROR OF GERMANY
289 - THE MERMAID
290 - THE WYLIE WIFE OF THE HIE TOUN HIE
291 - CHILD OWLET
292 - THE WEST-COUNTRY DAMOSEL’S COMPLAINT
293 - JOHN OF HAZELGREEN
294 - DUGALL QUIN
295 - THE BROWN GIRL
296 - WALTER LESLY
297 - EARL ROTHES
298 - YOUNG PEGGY
299 - TROOPER AND MAID
300 - BLANCHEFLOUR AND JELLYFLORICE
301 - THE QUEEN OF SCOTLAND
302 - YOUNG BEARWELL
303 - THE HOLY NUNNERY
304 - YOUNG RONALD
305 - THE OUTLAW MURRAY
FRAGMENTS
ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS
ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS
GLOSSARY
SOURCES OF THE TEXTS - OF THE ENGLISH AND SCOTTISH BALLADS
INDEX OF PUBLISHED AIRS OF ENGLISH AND SCOTTISH POPULAR BALLADS
BALLAD AIRS FROM MANUSCRIPT - 3 C. THE PAUSE KNIGHT UPON THE ROAD.
INDEX OF BALLAD TITLES
TITLES OF COLLECTIONS OF BALLADS, OR OF BOOKS CONTAINING BALLADS, - WHICH ARE VERY BRIEFLY CITED IN THIS WORK
