TY Steve,

Maybe you can talk to Steve about this one too :) It's certainly very difficult to flesh this all out, when so many different variants exist.

What has become increasingly clear is The Drowsy Sleeper, the main title as represented by 1817 broadside, only has two stanzas of the traditional ballad-- the rest is from the broadside pen!!!

So it only has two stanzas in common with the ballad it represents. Other broadsides (Firth) have one or two more but the British broadsides and the UK versions based on them, do not adequately represent the traditional ballad. Whereas The Cunningham Version, the traditional North American versions, the Scottish versions, and even the few "Sweet Bann Water" Irish versions are more part of the traditional ballad that the British broadsides.

It's also clear by what's been written that few early collectors (almost none) understood the "Silver Dagger" composed ballad, Roud 711.

I'll start using Roud numbers when possible. Also I always check Roud for versions to make sure I've got them all. He only misses a few- very thorough,

Richie