The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #94355 Message #1826145
Posted By: MartinRyan
03-Sep-06 - 04:44 PM
Thread Name: ADD: The Brown and the Yellow Ale^^^
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brown and the Yellow Ale
It's a test of love, essentially. What's odd about it is that he only realises it's all over when she buries him in a cheap coffin ("A board of elder" etc.)!
The origin seems to be a Donegal Gaelic song called variously "Cumha mo londubh buí", "Cuacha lán de buí" and similar. As far as I know, the oldest version are thought to come from Tory Island, off Donegal.