See The Traditional Ballad Index: Nut-Brown Maid, The.

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Nut-Brown Maid, The

DESCRIPTION: The man claims that women, given the chance, are never true. The woman cites the case of the Nut-brown Maid. They play through the story. The woman will follow her man, even to the greenwood, and will fight for him, etc. The ballad ends by praising women
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1707 ("The Muses Mercury"); earlier found in Arnold's "Chronicle" of c. 1521
KEYWORDS: infidelity love dialog outlaw
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Percy/Wheatley II, pp. 31-47, "The Not-Brown Maid" (1 text)
OBB 69, "The Nut-Brown Maid" (1 text)
Notes: Given its elaborate stanzaic structure, regular alternation of speakers, and elaborately formal language, it seems clear that this should be accounted a literary rather than a folk production. I know of no version in oral tradition.
A parody of this song, "The New Nutbrowne Maid," occurs as early as 1520. - RBW
File: OBB069

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The Ballad Index Copyright 2003 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.