Hi,

It's interesting to note that Scarborough says in "A Song Catcher" that "This is an Irish ballad." She wrote this about 1931 but she gets her information from other collectors/commentators and would not have written that unless she was informed. She gives no source for this statement.

My last two posted texts are hybrid Irish versions of the Drowsy Sleeper, both lacking the normal "Awake, awake you drowsy sleeper" opening stanza(s). They do have stanzas of "grey cock" which I believe is traced back to a broadside "Willy- O".

Steve--do you have that broadside or know where it is online?

Ty

Richie