Ah well, Adge Cutler decided to make it almost printable when he did his version of The Ball of Kerriemuir.

Being a Somerset lad, he changed the first verse to

Four and twenty maidens came down from Portishead
When the ball was over, the maidens lost their heads.

Funny how songs evolve...

To be funny enough for most audiences, a song has to imply, have double entendres or have the audience thinking one thing and the punch line is not lewd at all. Many entertainers can do this.

However, as this is about folk songs as we perceive them, I agree with a posting somewhere up the screen that says The Bonny Black Hare is a good song. It certainly isn't double meaning! Shows the minds of our great great great grandads...