Sara Cleveland, remarkable traditional singer from the Upper Hudson River Valley in New York State, recorded a fine variant called "My Bonny Bon Boy" (that was Sara's spelling, but it may be from "bawn" - white) on her Folk-Legacy album, now available as a cassette. But I think my favorite version is the one I learned from Robin Hall in London, 1958, "Wee Croodlin' Doo" (Wee Cooing Dove), in which the villainous poisoner with the tainted fish is a wicked stepmother. I recorded it on my Elektra album in 1959.

Sandy (creaking back to his rocking chair now)