The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #22878 Message #1721096
Posted By: Abby Sale
18-Apr-06 - 10:23 AM
Thread Name: Penguin: The Trees They Grow So High
Subject: RE: Penguin: The Trees They Grow So High
First time I ever heard "the sex verse" was from the Dransfields way back when. I feel it's pretty rare but it makes sense that it be there, of course, since the "father of a son" line is common enough. Likely they got it from Penguin...
They sing it very close to the DT verse:
And so early in the morning at the dawning of the day * They went out into the hayfield to have some sport and play; And what they did there, she never would declare But she never more complained of his growing.
*additional verse from Penguin Book of English Folk Songs, Williams and Lloyd
Any notion how common/old/widespread the verse actually is?