Hellhole? Lighter! My advice to you is to view the dog and pony show we call the news with a coldly critical eye (now the US is allied with Putin in the war on terror? Nice...) don't let it grow any tentacles in your brain -and get a golden retriever! In my neck of the woods -literally- it's a beautiful world for me and Teddy.

Don, I respect your professor's analysis of the motif as it pertains to Barbara Allan. The motif was obviously applied to Barbara Allen in a way that made sense to the ballad and your teacher's assessment reflects that, however, the motif did not originate at the end of the Scottish ballad Barbara Allan, nor any other Scottish ballad.

Aye they grew and aye they threw! I just love that!

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Jilted? Hmmmmmm...no. Barbara Allan jilted Sweet William, Sweet William jilted Fair Margaret and Lord Thomas jilted Fair Annett. Other story lines include a poisoning, a burning, a drowning, a forced marriage and a slaughter involving 7 brethren. Lord Lovel 75E had an urgent mission to visit the King of Scotland and Lord Levett is one of those men who craves adventure on the high seas. He means to return. You could call that abandonment if you like, but not a jilting.

Lord Lovel is a JACOBITE ballad Steve. The white rose. And yes the rose means true love. But the briar protects the rose precisely because it's hidden underneath so that when you try to pluck the rose...OUCH! Of course, that didn't stop the Black Douglas:

But bye and rade the Black Douglas,
And wow but he was rough!
For he pulld up the bonny brier,
And flang't in St. Mary's Loch.

Bwhahahahahahahahahah! (That's my impression of the Black Douglas' insanely evil laugh :-)