The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #160772 Message #3816429
Posted By: Steve Gardham
25-Oct-16 - 09:06 AM
Thread Name: Origins: Berkshire Tragedy: Who done it?
Subject: RE: Origins: Berkshire Tragedy: Who done it?
Hi Richie,
Yes, I am Dungbeetle. It's all a reaction to Child's abhorrence of street lit. I was a teacher when I started writing these articles and I thought it prudent to use a pseudonym as some of the earlier articles were somewhat explicit.
If you've looked at the article I assume you have access to plenty of Distressed Maid versions.
Off the top of my head I would say the crossovers are pretty certainly hybrids rather than one evolving into or being influenced by the other. There is nothing to stop a hybrid being a hybrid in print before entering oral tradition. The ballad makers in England occasionally stuck bits of ballads together. The Scottish big ballad editors certainly did it so the tradition no doubt continued in America. It certainly happened in oral tradition on both sides of the pond as we have seen in other instances. Over here travellers are particularly fond of stringing bits of different ballads together.
I would need to have a close look over my study of 'Distressed Maid' to remind myself of the relationships. I do remember this one is also quite old and has been rewritten several times.