Another question on Folk songs

Subject: Folklore: Another question on Folk songs
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 20 Apr 04 - 05:15 AM

In some Folk songs, Where the person used is female and has lost her true love..over the sea...Why is she always looking for a "Handsome Boatman" to ferry her over...wouldn't a plain or ugly one do??

Subject: RE: Folklore: Another question on Folk songs
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 20 Apr 04 - 05:17 AM

Sometimes, of course, she settles for a "handy" one!

Regards

Subject: RE: Folklore: Another question on Folk songs
From: Rasener
Date: 20 Apr 04 - 05:37 AM

It could be the size of his oar, that is the deciding factor.

Hey ho and off we go :-)

Subject: RE: Folklore: Another question on Folk songs
From: Kevin Sheils
Date: 20 Apr 04 - 05:47 AM

That's a load of rowlocks, Villan!

Subject: RE: Folklore: Another question on Folk songs
From: Hrothgar
Date: 20 Apr 04 - 06:01 AM

As in "Handsome is as handsome does."

Subject: RE: Folklore: Another question on Folk songs
From: masato sakurai
Date: 20 Apr 04 - 07:41 AM

"Handsome" seems to be a commonplace epithet, bearing little literal meaning. Incidentally, no "handsome boatman" appears in the Child ballds, which I have checked at A Concordance to the Child Ballads.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Another question on Folk songs
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 20 Apr 04 - 08:07 AM

Handsome means the same as handy. Means he knows how to use his hands...

Subject: RE: Folklore: Another question on Folk songs
From: Rasener
Date: 20 Apr 04 - 09:36 AM

A right tosser then !!!!!!!!!!!! :-)

Subject: RE: Folklore: Another question on Folk songs
From: Big Jim from Jackson
Date: 20 Apr 04 - 09:39 AM

Handsom is one of those words that has changed its meaning over the years. Nice and villian are other examples. Neither means today what it ment in times long gone.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Another question on Folk songs
From: Rasener
Date: 20 Apr 04 - 10:03 AM

And Villan means beeing an Aston Villa supporter:-)

Subject: RE: Folklore: Another question on Folk songs
From: Betsy
Date: 20 Apr 04 - 12:56 PM

I wonder ( and may be miles off with my guess ) there used to be a hansom cab - which was a cariage for hire - could it be some sort of aquatic equivalent - which has lost it's original meaning /intention .
It's a long long shot - J. A. Hansom an Inventor ( of the Cab amongst other things ) and Architect was born in York, and was apprenticed first in that town and then in Halifax - couldn't be that he designed some sort of ferryboat ??? After writing this,I don't think so either, but in a different time and place it might ahave made a good bluff.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Another question on Folk songs
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 20 Apr 04 - 01:07 PM

Handsome- Easy to handle or manipulate, the first meaning.
Women (wo-people?) have been looking for easily manipulable mates ever since Eve.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Another question on Folk songs
From: Bill D
Date: 20 Apr 04 - 01:09 PM

The boatman is handsome
The knight is handmore...
...but the rich merchant is by far the handmost.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Another question on Folk songs
From: HuwG
Date: 20 Apr 04 - 02:15 PM

In the 18th / 19th centuries, "handsomely" in nautical terms meant, "slowly and steadily", at least in terms of heaving ropes. (I presume that things were heaved handsomely to prevent strains and ruptures among the heavers, or far worse, breakages due to sudden load on the ropes or fouled tackle becoming stuck through over-enthusuastic pulling.)

Subject: RE: Folklore: Another question on Folk songs
From: Rasener
Date: 20 Apr 04 - 02:20 PM

Its all about sex then! :-)

Subject: RE: Folklore: Another question on Folk songs
From: Art Thieme
Date: 20 Apr 04 - 04:23 PM

They have sex in a cab---a han(d)som cab. This is a ferry boat so these cabs are the normal load on board. What better place to do it and to have privacy.

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Folklore: Another question on Folk songs
From: radriano
Date: 20 Apr 04 - 04:27 PM

Could be that "handsome" is meant in the maritime sense:

From "Dictionary of Sea Terms" 1841/1851 by R.H. Dana, Jr:

HANDSOMELY
Slowly, carefully. Used for an order, as "Lower handsomely!"

Subject: RE: Folklore: Another question on Folk songs
From: Once Famous
Date: 20 Apr 04 - 04:51 PM

Sometimes women are referred to as handsome. As in "she's a handsome woman." However, handsome women usually look pretty butch to me.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Another question on Folk songs
From: Betsy
Date: 20 Apr 04 - 05:01 PM

Maybe the young lady who told her Cockney father she was pregnant by a ferryboatman, to which the father replied "That's handsome - just Facking Handsome !!!!

Subject: RE: Folklore: Another question on Folk songs
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 20 Apr 04 - 06:30 PM

A handsome income; and a nice point.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Another question on Folk songs
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 20 Apr 04 - 06:59 PM

All a man needs eh??