The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #164203 Message #3937404
Posted By: Richie
14-Jul-18 - 10:11 PM
Thread Name: Origins: James Madison Carpenter- Child Ballads 3
Subject: RE: Origins: James Madison Carpenter- Child Ballads 3
Hi,
Ty Steve for a different take on the two "John was asked" ballads. It seems to me just as likely that the "he was asked" stanzas are simply corrupt and forgot that the bridegroom forgot. Certainly the John Clare version seems like a corruption ("lover" for brother") since it doesn't repeat "lover John" the second time,