Joseph Jacobs was an avid
collector of folk tales and fairy tales that were told in
England, and the selections from his English
Fairy Tales include many stories that you
are probably familiar with, such as "The Three Little
Pigs" and "Jack and the Beanstalk". You will
also find some new versions of old stories, like "The
Three Bears" - but without Goldilocks! In addition, Jacobs
includes some hero quest tales, such as the "Laidly Worm
of Spindleston Heugh" or "Childe Rowland" which
are related to some very old English storytelling traditions,
going back to some of the early legends associated with the
court of King Arthur. Here are some quotes:
'My wicked mother slew me,
My dear father ate me,
My little brother whom I love
Sits below, and I sing above
Stick, stock, stone dead.'
'Well, my son,' said the Warlock Merlin, 'there are but
two things, simple they may seem, but hard they are to, do.
One thing to do, and one thing not to do. And the thing to
do is this: after you have entered the land of Fairy, whoever
speaks to you, till you meet the Burd Ellen, you must out
with your father's brand and off with their head. And what
you've not to do is this: bite no bit, and drink no drop,
however hungry or thirsty you be!"
I weird ye to be a Laidly Worm,
And borrowed shall ye never be,
Until Childe Wynd, the King's own son
Come to the Heugh and thrice kiss thee;
Until the world comes to an end,
Borrowed shall ye never be. |
Francis
Child's Ballads
is a collection of traditional English and Scottish ballads.
Needless to say, a lot of people in America originally came
from England and Scotland! So when Max Hunter started collecting
folksongs in the Ozarks during the 1950's and 1960's he found
many traditional songs that were also collected by Francis
Child back in England. These ballads are usually about love
gone wrong, domestic violence and all kinds of tragic occurrences
- along with some comic songs as well. There are audio recordings
of each of the songs this week, so you will be able to listen
to the recordings that Max Hunter made of just plain folks
singing these traditional songs. Here are some quotes:
Tell her, to make me a cambric shirt
Rosemary and thyme
Without a seam or needles work
She shall be a true lover of mine
Hangman, hangman, slack your rope
Slack it full an' free
For I think I see my Father coming
Away over yonder
Father, O Father, have you brought me gold
Or have you paid my fee
Or have you come to see me hanged
On this green willow tree
Son, O Son, I've not brought you gold
Nor have I paid your fee
But I have come to see you hanged
On this green willow tree
Th ole Devil got 'er up on his back
Looked like a peddler with a hump on his back
Singin' hi-diddle-i-diddle-i-fi
Diddle-i-diddle-i-day
Ole Devil got out t' th forks of th road
He said, ole lady you're a hell of a load
Singin' hi-diddle-i-diddle-i-fi
Diddle-i-diddle-i-day |