I've just (rather belatedly) come across this song, and whilst I think it's a terrific rendition, it obviously owes a great deal to "Appley and Orangey", a tale/song that features in Ewan McColl & Peggy Seeger's book "Till Doomsday in the Afternoon: the Folklore of a Family of Scots Travellers".

The central theme of the girl being murdered, baked into pies which are then eaten by her father, and her spirit's magical transformation into a dove (a "Doo" in Scots dialect)are identical.

How much of a song's theme has to be original for it to be claimed as an original song?

This is not intended as a criticism of Emily Portman (indeed, I've just ordered the Glamoury album on which Stick Stock appears), just wondering what others' opinions are on this?

Obviously there are no "new" themes in folk music, but this song appears to borrow rather more than just the age-old motif of the murderous step-parent.