Don Firth,

Regarding your first comment on this thread:

"I've been told that on the end of "Barbara Allen," most people tend to get the rose and briar bass-ackwards, singing it as the rose growing from her grave (feeling that the rose is a more feminine image), with the briar growing from his.

But a genuine ballad scholar (Dr. David C. Fowler) said that the rose symbolizes true love, hence, it grew from his grave, whereas the spikiness and conditionality of her love produced the briar.

A bit subtle, perhaps, but in "the language of flowers," it makes better sense."

Hmmm... Aren't you and your friend the "genuine ballad scholar" reading too much into this?

Steve, the theme of plants springing from graves is universal. The rose, brier forming a true lovers knot is a very unique example of this theme. And, it is not that the rose is "good" and the briar "bad." How silly. The briar protects the rose. Nobody messes with a briar.

But I do see "gender analysis" in my notes because of you comment. I'm pretty sure it's mostly neutral, the "one" and the "t'other" but I made a note to myself. Thanks Don.

Hijack away you guys. What you have to say is interesting to me whether on topic or not :-)