My apologies, Kent - I was scanning fairly quickly through the thread. Working from Bronson for my Transatlantic ballad migrants, I wasn't aware of the West Virginia version of 'The Devil's Nine Questions'. I don't suppose you could post the text here, could you? Does the tune resemble the Mrs. Rill Martin version from Va (which seems to be the basis for the ballad as it's now often performed)?

I'm also interested in the Gainer-collected version of "The Elfin Knight" (Child #2). The ballad doesn't seem to have had nearly as wide a currency in the Appalachians as some of the others, and the refrain "O Where Are You Going? I'm Going to Linn" is one I has understood to be associated with the North East of your country.

When did Dr. Gainer actually collect his material?