For a similar example [of folk expurgation]
from America, we again turn to the repertory of Robert
Beers. In 1943, Mr. Beers learned two distinct versifications
of the same piece from his grandfather North Freedom, Wisconsin.
The following version of "The Little Ball of Yarn" was sung
by George Sullivan exclusively to all-male audiences:

THE LITTLE BALL OF YARN

1. It was in the month of May, when the lambs do sport and play
And the birds in the bushes sang a charm,
That I met a fair young maid, and to her I did say,
"May I wind for you your little ball of yarn?"

2. "Oh, no, kind sir," said she, "You're a stranger unto me
And I fear that you may bring to me great harm.
You better go for those who have money and fine clothes,
And wind for them their little ball of yarn."

3. But I took this handsome maid and I led her to the shade
While the birds in the bushes sang a charm,
And the blackbird and the thrush hid their head behind the brush
Whilst I would for her her little ball of yarn.

On occasion, George Sullivan would sing the related ballad of
"The Golden Skein" to mixed audiences:

[ Omitting lyrcs of "The Golden Skein"
[
[ Listen to "The Golden Skein" online here:
[
[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJqw0d4lnhU
   

Beers reports his grandfather was aware that these two pieces
where different versions of the same ballad tale, and that
the erotic metaphors of the later piece [The Golden Skein]
were likely to me missed in the course of their being sung
to an exquisite Victorian melody, whereas the former item,
sung to a pedestrian, hackneyed tune, had little to distract
a listener from its patently bawdy text. It should be noticed
in this context that though both songs contain related
euphemisms for the same sexual referents, the humorous
metaphor of "the little ball of yarn" was so obvious and
so widely known it could not serve to conceal its bawdry
from either male or female audience. It had lost it
euphemistic value and had thus become "a man's song."
The "golden skein" metaphor, far more poetic and largely
unfamiliar as a sexual euphemism to members of either sex,
could be performed by both men and women before mixed
audiences without offending anyone.

Goldstein, Kenneth S. "Bowdlerization and Expurgation:
Academic and Folk". pg 380. Journal of American Folklore.
Vol. 80, No. 318 (Oct.-Dec. 1967). pp. 374-386.

Stable link: https://www.jstor.org/stable/537416