Origin: Fair Annie

Subject: Fair Annie
From: GUEST,Mike
Date: 02 Apr 05 - 07:35 PM

Does anyone know whether the story in Fair Annie has any truthful origins?

Subject: RE: Fair Annie
From: GUEST,Malcolm
Date: 02 Apr 05 - 07:46 PM

Which Fair Annie you mean? There are several quite different songs (sometimes) called by that name.

Subject: RE: Fair Annie
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 03 Apr 05 - 01:24 AM

If you are referring to Child # 62, she is also known as Helen and other names. The tale was told by Marie de France in "Lai del Freisne" about 1200, and has migrated across Europe, "not appearing in the Scottish record until the second half of the 18th c.," according to a note in Bronson.
"Truthful origins"? Only the Shadow knows.

Or are you referring to "Fair Annet" (or Ellinor (Annie), the Brown Girl), in Child # 73, "Lord Thomas and Fair Eleanor"?

As Malcolm says, there are others.

Subject: RE: Fair Annie
From: GUEST,Mike
Date: 03 Apr 05 - 05:52 AM

I am referring to Martin Simpsons's song in which Lord Thomas gets married to his wife's sister and then has a rather severe comeuppance!

Subject: RE: Fair Annie
From: GUEST, NOMADman
Date: 03 Apr 05 - 09:22 PM

That would indeed be Child #62. See Q's note above. Child mentions Swedish, Danish, Dutch and German analogs, but does not suggest any actual historical event to which the ballad can be attached.

Regards,
John

Subject: RE: Fair Annie
From: pavane
Date: 04 Apr 05 - 04:54 AM

Also recorded by Peter Bellamy, originally on a limited edition cassette.