Malcolm Douglas wrote:
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Mary Seymour" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: 04 August 2002 19:15
> Subject: [BALLADS] Little Sir William
>
> > Hullo
> > This is new member Mary Seymour with a question.
> >
> > Some time ago I seem to remember reading / being told about / a ballad
> called "Little Sir William". [Set in Scottish Borders ? Not in Scott's
> Minstrelsey - I've checked.]
> >
> > Story tells of mother / nurse coming to the school to ask for her child.
> Is put off by a range of excuses - he is doing this or that - but really he
> is dead ... I think the "little pen knife" comes into it somewhere.
>
> "Little Sir William" is a variant of "Sir Hugh, or, The Jew's Daughter"
> (Child no.155, Roud Folk Song Index no.73). Lucy Broadwood published a
> Lincolnshire example quoted from Mason's "Nursery Rhymes and Country Songs"
> in her "English County Songs" (1893) which is quite likely what you are
> looking for. The text also appears in Child's Additions and Corrections,
> E&SPB vol.5 pp.240-1.
>
> The text quoted by J L Speranza is identical but for the substitution of
> "Schoolwife" for "Jew's wife". Whether this is another variant found in
> Somerset I don't know; but I'm inclined to suspect editing by Britten (for
> obvious reasons) and perhaps some later confusion over the source.
>
> Malcolm Douglas
>
> ---
> Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> Version: 6.0.377 / Virus Database: 211 - Release Date: 15/07/02
There is a reasonable account of the tale of Hugh of Lincoln
(not the Saint one) in Child's ESPB. I've seen a more detailed one,
but can't remember where. The libel doesn't seem to be completely dead
yet, as can be seen at the cick-on.
<A href="http://www.melvig.org/jrm/jrm-07.html"> Click </a>
Bruce Olson
Roots of Folk: Old British Isles popular and folk songs, tunes,
broadside ballads at my website <A
href="http://www.erols.com/olsonw"> Click </a>
|