I didn't read every posting, but , I don't believe anyone addressed the one thing that is probably messing up the old definition of folk more than anything else- Copyright law. I mentioned it in a posting to the old thread not realizing everyone had moved on to this one. Stack o Lee of blues song fame had his tale told and changed as the singer saw fit. Chain gangs sang sympathetically of ol' Stack as a herioc figure, Others sent him to the gallows for his violent deeds. "Rocky Racoon" ,a similiar character if somewhat less fearsome, never deviates from the same details. He always tries to shoot Dan and always gets shot himself. We are always left to believe "good" Rocky will recover. No one ever sings a version where Rocky passes away in his room as a result of his jealous, possessive, voilent stalker behavior. No one ever follows Rocky to trail. Some singers follow Stack to the Jailhouse, some follow him clear to Hell. This is a problem for the tradition it can't behave the way it used to without breaking the law.