I made this note after reading the discussion of Anna Feyer on a previous thread :- Published by Judy Collins in 1963, and recorded by both her and A. L. Lloyd in the 1970s, it was also recorded by Tony Capstick and Dave and Toni Arthur but seems have been overlooked by performers since then, although re-written as Seven deadly curses by Bob Dylan. The original inspiration was a Hungarian ballad entitled Feyer Laszlo [or Ladislav] lovay lopott, which was collected by Bartok and adapted in his book of Hungarian folksongs of 1906. It was later "translated" by A. L. Lloyd. There are numerous variants in Hungary. The Csanadi-Vargyas collection has one of 16 verses, of which a more literal translation begins :- Ladislav Feher stole a horse / at the foot of the black hill. / His leather whip cracked noisily, / it was heard in the town of Gonc. / Come on, come on, citizens of Gonc, / Ladislav Feher has been caught! / Anna Feher has heard the news; / she runs down to the stable. It ends :- May thirteen rows of medicines / be emptied for you! / May you be carried to the churchyard / at the end of the thirteenth year!
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