Thanks, leeneia. It IS a remarkably complex plot for a ballad (which is why the original was 50+ verses). Apparently it was the type of ballad that the professional minstrels did, rather than the punters.

I'm a major fan of pockets myself, so much so that the last time I bought jeans (which had pockets made of material that quickly wore out and developed holes that let through coins and keys, and were so stupidly small that folded money tended to climb out of them), I took them to a seamstress and had them replaced with nice deep pockets made of a nice strong material (the kind that are standard on my husband's trousers). It was well worth it, as they're deep enough that I can get away without carrying a handback most of the time.

That said, I must confess it was my husband who gave me the idea to put the desire for pockets in the song, as when I was working on it I told him it was the ballad with the "what women want" riddle, and he immediately said "Dresses with pockets!". (My husband... I think I'll keep him! ;-) )