'Scarborough Fair' is in fact a version of Child #2, The Elfin Knight; specifically the 'Cambric Shirt' versions. The herbs are integral, as magic potions for the transformations &c demanded by the contestant-lovers in the ballad. 'Scarborough Fair' [the familiar tune & words] is the version collected [by Ewan MacColl ~ who simply states the version is "from the singing of..."] from Mr Mark Anderson, a retired lead miner of Middleton-in-Teasdale, Yorkshire, in 1947; sung by Ewan on The Long Harvest {Argo DA67, 1967}, having been previously included by him & Peggy Seeger in The Singing Island, London, Mills Music,1960.

~M~