The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #141859   Message #3266792
Posted By: Richie
01-Dec-11 - 01:11 PM
Thread Name: Origins: Question about ballad provenance
Subject: RE: Origins: Question about ballad providence
Here's the post, it's actually listed by Child under The Cruel Brother Child D, which is debatable. It's a query by Uneda in Philadelphia:

Notes and Queries: Volume 6 - Page 53; 1852


"There were three ladies," §-c. — My paternal grandmother, who was a native of county Kerry in Ireland, was in the habit of singing a song set to a sweet and plaintive air, which thus commenced:

"There were three ladies playing at ball,   
Farin-dan-dan and farin-dan-dee;   
There came a white knight, and he wooed them all,   
With adieu, sweet honey, wherever you be.

He courted the eldest with golden rings,
Farin, &c. &c.
And the others with many fine things,   
And adieu," &c. &c.   

The rest has been forgotten. Can any of your readers furnish the remaining words?

Uneda.    Philadelphia.