Hi,

Some of the "tasks" in the last post are similarly found in "My father left me an acre of land," which uses the "Sing ivy" first refrain. This related Ballad Type has a different Roud number, 21093, and should be regarded as a song or nursery rhyme which has been created from the second set of tasks. It could be an appendix, however, I'm listing those versions under Child 2 as Ballad Type IV.

There are several "Sing Ivy" texts collected by Carpenter. This one is from the James Madison Carpenter Collection, JMC/1/2/2/E, p.04819.

Green Holly and Ivy- sung by Edward Newitt of Oxfordshire, England about 1930.

My father he left me an acre of ground,
Sing inc, sing inc, sing ivy.
My father he left me an acre of ground,
With a little green holly and ivy.

I ploughed it up with a team of cats,
&c

I sowed it down with some caraway seed,
&c

I cut it down with the wing of a flee,
&c

I carted it home on a mouse's back,
&c

* * * *

Richie