Here's what Jim says:Regarding my recitation on July 1, here are scans from the pages of the book, plus a scan of the first part of the introduction. You'll see from the intro that the name of the English version is much condensed from that of the original Danish version, Danske Viser: Gamle Folkeviser, Skæmt, Efterklang, which I would translate as Danish Songs: Old Folk Songs, Humor, Refrains. Is that one of the ones you have? What I consider unusual -- unique? -- about this "song" is the fact that it involves incest and infanticide, yet the concept of shame is nowhere mentioned or even implied. Sin... yes (it's mentioned in the second verse, and the parents are initially sent to hell), but not shame. Nothing is said about how the parents died... no murder of the mother or double suicide, which would imply shame. I.e., if there was shame, it's not considered relevant to the story. Nor does the child suggest that what its parents have done -- including its own murder -- should bring punishment, judgement... or even mention. It loves its parents. And although "forgiveness" is pervasive, through the repeated chorus, it doesn't enter the story line. The child doesn't call upon God's "mercy", but only on God's love. Do you know of anything like this in English-language folk song tradition?
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