A was taken down from Mrs. Brown's recitation by Jamieson in 1800, and published in his collection in 1806, "without the alteration of a single word." The first half of the story in A, 1-9, is that of No. 101, A, 1-24. The first part of B, 4-18, is a variety of the widespread tragic ballad of 'Leesome Brand' (No. 15). So, also, is the larger part of 'Willie o Douglas Dale,' with the tragic features dropped.
This ballad certainly does not belong to the cycle of Robin Hood. The connection with that hero was in all probability mediated by the name Brown Robin (see No. 97).
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