Jim, minor masterpiece and many more where that came from :)

I think I figured out what's really wrong with Steve. He is utterly devoid of the kind of imagination it takes to empathize with anyone except the person he sees in his mirror. The true ability to put yourself in someone else's shoes, see with their eyes, is what is required to formulate any solid theories and/or conclusions in this area. It is a thousand times more a cultural anthropological endeavor than a "literary" or "musical" one. It is a much wider world than Steve IMAGINES. There, I've made my point.

Jim, I've always had a bit of a problem with the Anglo-Saxon folk soul, that is if there is such a thing. It seems like they always want to kill you, steal your stuff, and take away your heritage. They do this to their closest neighbors, and to everyone in the world. Then they turn around and help to win some big WWI against a monster who looks suspiciously like them and call it even.

Well, I'm satisfied that Tom Lenihan is correct about the origin of the rose-briar motif. I'm going to leave this thread now and start a new one soon called LORD LOVEL: Jacobite Ballad.