Hi,

I started looking at this ballad. The Burns date I have 1787 not 1792 (as per Motherwell). Obviously the two stanzas from Herd are used literally by Burns, who wrote the rest-- stanzas which certainly are not traditional to this ballad.

Why did Burns attribute the song to a lady in Burns tour of N. Scotland? Which is why it has been suggested that Burn's Lady Mary Ann was collected.

I am puzzled about how Motherwell's text that was traditionally preserved in the west of Scotland and apparently pre-dates the MS of Robert Scott, of Glenbucket (The Young Laird of Craigstoun, which one source has as 1823) is not included in the article.

Motherwell gives a stanza and it's later published in full as "the old ballad." It begins:

The trees they are ivied, the leaves they are green, &c

Just wondering?

Richie