> Brian,no one can give a logical explanation why seven drunken nights can be included in a ballad workshop,but Marrowbones should be excluded. <

Child probably had his own reasons for selecting "Our Goodman" (= 7 drunken nights), possibly on grouds of antiquity or stanza form. But I'm not defending that selection. In my ballad workshops people are at liberty to bring along a song of their choice and justify its inclusion. So, at the last one, we had 'The Flying Cloud', which isn't in Child but certainly tells a story (albeit in more detail than an older ballad might have done). Somebody once brought along 'Pretty Boy Floyd' and I didn't exclude that, either. But I hope at least that people will bring narrative songs. 'The Seeds of Love', for instance, wouldn't qualify in my book - although if someone chose to sing it in a ballad workshop my reaction would be to ask them nicely why they'd chosen it, not to tell them they'd made a grievous gaffe.