Hi,

Rather than rehash some of these ideas on an old thread. I thought it would be better to start anew.

This ballad is of particular interest to me because it was collected by my grandfather Maurice Matteson from Nathan Hicks, Frank Proffitt's father-in-law and a fine dulcimer maker.

When I visited my mother I used Nathan's dulicmer to record an improve version of George Colon (sic) with my niece and nephew. To listen: http://bluegrassmessengers.com/Data/Sites/1/avatars/02%20George%20Collon.mp3 I believe it had the original strings and had to be tuned lower to be played!!!

There are four article that explain the relationship of 85. Lady Alice (George Collins) and 42. Clerk Colvill. The articles are: (1) George Collins- Barbara M. Cra'ster 1910; (2) The "Johnny Collins" Version of Lady Alice- Bayard; (3) The "Clerk Colvill" Mermaid- Harbison Parker 1947 and (4) "George Collins" in Hampshire - David Atkinson. They are all on my site, here's the link to Bayard's article: http://www.bluegrassmessengers.com/the-johnny-collins-version-of-lady-alice--bayard-.aspx

I have a couple questions and I'll give a basic plot of the ballad and I'd like your comments and suggestions.

1. The Johnny Collins version, first collected by Gardiner in 1906 in Hampshire, appears to connect Child 42 with the short almost plotless George Collins ballad. It was collected in a specific area in Appalachia: Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. What do the versions from Canada (Karpeles 1929, Peacock) add-- as far as dissemination? Is this ballad from Ireland as Bayard suggests?

2. Is the pretty fair maid" in the Johnny Collins type a mermaid?

3. Is the hero (see Child 42 C) given a choice of becoming a fish and stayed with the mermaid or dying? When he leaves and goes home to his earthy lover does that mean he has made this choice?

4. Is the mermaid (Child 42 A) preparing a sark for him suggesting he is her betrothed?

5. When Johnny meets the "pretty fair maid" doesn't she know he is going to die because she is a mermaid and he has rejected her?

I'll give my story line later.

TY

Richie