Child Ballads - Additions and Corrections

2. The Elfin Knight

P. 8 a, second paragraph. Russian ballad of Impossibilities propounded reciprocally by youth and maid (including a shirt): Shein, Russkiya N. P., Plyasovuiya, Nos 85, 86, p. 231 f.

13. Another Clever Wench, in Hurwitz's Hebrew Tales, New York, 1847, p. 154, Nos 61, 62; or Sagen der Hebräer aus dem Englischen, u.s.w., Leipzig, 1828, p. 129, Nos 56, 57.

14 a, line 16. The Rusalka ballad, also in Trudy, III, 190, No 7.

14 a, the first paragraph. In the third or "Forest" book of the Mahā-bhārata, chapters 311-313, is a story that bears marks of being an ancient part of the compilation. Yudhishthira and his four younger brothers are distressed with thirst. The eldest sends these one after another in quest of water. Each reaches a lake and hears a voice of a sprite in the air, "I have the first claim on this lake. Do not drink till you have answered my questions," drinks notwithstanding, and falls as if dead. At last Yudhishthira goes himself, answers the questions, and is offered boons by the sprite. He is very modest, and asks the life of one of his two half-brothers only, not that of either of his full brothers. Whereupon the sprite rewards his virtue by bringing all four to life.

The riddles and questions are spun out at great length, and many are palpable interpolations. A few examples may be given. What is weightier (more reverend) than the earth? One's mother. What is loftier than the heavens? One's father. What is fleeter than the wind? The mind. What are more numerous than the blades of grass? Thoughts. What does not close its eyes while asleep? A fish. What is that which does not move after birth? An egg. What is that which is without heart? A stone. And so on. A paraphrase of parts of these chapters is given by Ed. Arnold, Indian Idylls, Boston, 1883, pp. 212-235.

Similarly, in the Kathā-sarit-sāgara, chapter v, a man escapes death by resolving an ogre's riddle. See Tawney's translation, I, 26, and especially the note, where Benfey is cited as comparing Mahā-bhārata, XIII, 5883 ff.

14 b. Legend of St Andrew: Horstmann, Altenglische Legenden, Neue Folge, 1881, p. 8.

18. A variety of F, G, Bruce and Stokoe, Northumbrian Minstrelsy, p. 79. 'Whittingham Fair,' popular in the north and west of the county of Northumberland; usually sung as a nursery-ballad.

1	'Are you going to Whittingham fair? Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme Remember me to one who lives there; For once she was a true-love of mine.
2	'Tell her to make me a cambric shirt, Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme Without any seam or needlework. For once she was a true-love of mine.
3	'Tell her to wash it in yonder well, Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme Where never spring-water nor rain ever fell. For once she was a true-love of mine.
4	'Tell her to dry it on yonder thorn, Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme Which never bore blossom since Adam was born.' For once she was a true-love of mine.
5	'Now he has asked me questions three, Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme I hope he will answer as many for me; For once he was a true-love of mine.
6	'Tell him to find me an acre of land Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme Betwixt the salt water and the sea-sand. For once he was a true-love of mine.
7	'Tell him to plough it with a ram's horn, Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme And sow it all over with one pepper-corn. For once he was a true-love of mine.
8	'Tell him to reap it with a sickle of leather, Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme And bind it up with a peacock's feather. For once he was a true-love of mine.
9	'When he has done, and finished his work, Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme O tell him to come, and he'll have his shirt.' For once he was a true-love of mine.

Another variety of F, G, communicated by Mr. Frank Kidson, Leeds, 1884; from tradition.

1	'Oh where are you going?' 'To Scarbro fair.' Savoury, sage, rosemary and thyme 'Remember me to a lass who lives there; For once she was a true lover of mine.
2	'And tell her to make me a cambric shirt, Savoury, sage, rosemary and thyme Without a needle or thread or ought else; And then she shall be a true lover of mine.
3	'And tell her to wash it in yonder well, Savoury, sage, rosemary and thyme Where water neer sprung nor a drop of rain fell; And then she shall be a true lover of mine.
4	'And tell her to hang it on yonder stone, Savoury, sage, rosemary and thyme Where moss never grew since Adam was born. And then she shall be a true lover of mine.
5	'And when she has finished and done, her I'll repay, Savoury, sage, rosemary and thyme She can come unto me and married we'll be.' And then she shall be a true lover of mine.
6	'Oh where are yon going?' 'To Scarbro fair.' Savoury, sage, rosemary and thyme ' Remember me to a lad who lives there; For once he was a true lover of mine.
7	'And tell him to buy me an acre of land Savoury, sage, rosemary and thyme Between the wide ocean and the sea-sand; And then he shall be a true lover of mine.
8	'And tell him to plough it with a ram's horn, Savoury, sage, rosemary and thyme And sow it all over with one pepper-corn. And then he shall be a true lover of mine.
9	'And tell him to reap 't with a sickle of leather, Savoury, sage, rosemary and thyme And bind it up with a peacock's feather. And then he shall be a true lover of mine.
10	'And when he has finished, and done his work, Savoury, sage, rosemary and thyme He can come unto me for his cambric shirt.' And then he shall be a true lover of mine.

Variations in a fragment of the same, remembered by another person: F. Kidson.

1¹	Oh are you going to ...
7	Tell her .... Sow it all over with sand.
9	Reap it with ... And tie it ... And then she shall be ...
3 (after 9)	And tell her to wash it in yonder dry well, Where no water sprung nor a drop of rain fell, And tell her to wash it in yonder dry well, Or never be a true lover of mine.

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