Richard Chase collected a beautiful Appalachian version set to "Ye Banks..." with a verse in which the two crows cause a ship to founder by means of magic(!) and debate between themselves whether to dine on the washed up sailors or the young, slain hunter in the greenwood. They choose the hunter, "And you can pick at his soft white thighs, and I will pick out his bonny blue eyes" and decide that his golden hair and beard will do nicely to lie their nestlings in. Also mentioned is the fact that "his lady's gone to another mate..." which leads one to speculate about the cause of death.

Sounds grisly, but the language is beautiful and the tune a perfect fit...and haunting. Check Chase for this version. I have Lani Herrmann to thank for telling me about this one years ago; probably my favorite ballad.

Joan