Joe: The Hawaiians/Seeger words can easily be made nonsectarian by changing one word = "Gypsy" -- that's the only place in the song where something needs to be changed, it seems, to make the song acceptable to any audience (any audience not too squeamish for murder ballads, anyway).

There's nothing else in the song that indicates that the murderess is of any particular ethnic or racial persuasion.

I wonder what "smoke them with your breath" means? I always heard "smoke them with your dress" on the Hawaiians' version, which makes no more sense, but at least rhymes better.

I love their harmony on that version, and their phrasing. It makes it all the more spooky.

Alex
O..O
=o=