Hi,

As for Mackenzie, I'm not questioning the authenticity of the ballad per se, just the attribution.

Mackenzie finds a very rare version, the only one in North America, and nine years later publishes it with a different informant-- an informant who is near 100 years old and has trouble getting through one stanza of Andrew Lammie.

It's beyond my comprehension. Mackenzie gives no explanation in 1928, which is worse. The ballad was written down by a young girl in 1919. Apparently Mackenzie felt he needed another informant. For me, this raises doubts about the version.

Mackenzie finds another version before 1928, possibly to support finding a version in the first place! Maybe there's a possible explanation, that's why I'm asking for opinions.

Richie