David,

Thanks for filling in the salix/salley connection. I was/am totally ignorant of the philology of the word willow.

As to there being no relation between the songs, don't you think the subjects are quite similar? Couldn't Willow Garden be an elaboration of Yeats' theme? Or, could Yeats have heard the folk material and adapted it to his own purpose?

True, Yeats' lover doesn't murder the object of his affections but that seems to be the main difference. Of course the melodies are different but they contain many of the same notes.

- Mark