"Lloyd's basic argument at this point is that ballads may have 'ancient and outlandish origins'. But it seems to me strong on rhetoric and broad brushes and short on evidence... as a writer Lloyd was very skilled at self promotion.

Speaking as one who found Lloyd's book very enjoyable at first, but later became more sceptical, yours is the kind of impression I formed myself when I tried to pick apart some of his ideas, for instance the suggestion that 'The Cutty Wren' was a remnant of a medieval protest song.

However, on the 'delousing' episode he was only following Child, who seems to be the source for much of Lloyd's discussion of Child 4 -'Lady Isabel & the Elf Knight (not 'The Elfin Knight').