'If you come back in a year or so's time to find that he has learned it and is singing it and has passed it on to his mates, who, in their turn have done likewise..... to the extent that your song has been accepted and sung by a significant number of people, and even maybe has been adapted into numerous versions and has reached the situation where you are no longer its owner...... then you might, just might have the makings of a folk song on your hands.'

Ah, that's cleared that up then, it is just the romantic notion that a song has to be passed around 'orally' that makes it folk music!

Jim, if you joined us in the 21st century, you might just find that the process you describe above is still happening, the ONLY difference is that the transmission is by modern methods!

John