Hi,

Does anyone have any details (date notes location etc) about this version collected by MacColl:

B. [untitled] Caroline Hughes

1 O for that dear girl, she roamed those meadows,
She were picking these flowers by one, two or three;
She picked, she plucked until she gained
Until she gathered her apron full.

2 O, when I were single, I wear my apron strings long;
My love passed me by and say nothing;
But now my belly it's up to my chin,
My love he pass by and frowns on me.

3 A grief, a grief, I'll tell you for why:
Because that girl she's got more gold than me;
Well, gold shall glitter, her beauty will fade,
That's why it puts back a poor girl like me.

4 On yonders hill, there stands an alehouse
Where my true love goes and sets himself down,
He takes another strange girl on his knee
And kisses her and frowns on me.

5 A grief, a grief, I'll tell you for why:
Because that girl she's got more gold than me;
Well, gold shall glitter, her beauty will fade,
That's why she'll become a poor girl like me.

6 On yonders hill there's blind beetles crawl,
As blind as blind could be
I wish to God that I'd been one of those
Before I gained my love's company.

I'm interested in source of "Three worms" and in this "blind beetles crawl" Anyone?

Richie