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"The Mermaid" (Roud 124, Child 289) is a traditional folk ballad.^[1] Originating around the mid-18th century, this song is known by a number of names, including "Waves on the Sea",^[2] "The Stormy Winds",^[3] "Our Gallant Ship", and "The Wrecked Ship".^[2]^[4]

The song belongs in the category of sea ballads, being a song sailors sung during their time off and not while they worked, but is more commonly thought of as a sea shanty.^[5] It is well known in American folk tradition as well as European traditions, and the text has appeared in many forms in both print and oral mediums.^[6]^[7] The ballad remains part of American culture as a song sung at camps operated by the Boy Scouts of America as well as in public school music education classes.^[8]

Synopsis

The ballad describes a ship that left port, its misadventure and eventual sinking. The moral of the song is that mermaids are a sign of an impending shipwreck.^[2] It is sung from the point of view of a member of the ship's crew, although the ship sinks without any survivors. In most versions the ship is unnamed but in a version sung by Almeda Riddle, the mermaid disappears and the ship is identified as the Merrymac.^[9] Often the ship is said to be departing on a Friday morning, but there are other versions of the lyrics including one that has it leaving on a Saturday night.^[7]^[10] On the way out to sea, the captain sees a mermaid with a "comb and a glass in her hand".^[10]

Three parallel stanzas most often follow describing how three of the crew members, contemplating impending disaster, would rather be somewhere else than on the ocean floor; for example, the cook would rather be with his pots and pans.^[7] In English versions crew members often identify their home port and the people (parents, wives, children) who will mourn for them.^[11]

The home of the crew members varies from version to version, but it has been assigned to almost every port town in Britain and the East Coast of the United States. At the end of the ballad the ship turns around three times and sinks with all hands; there are no survivors.^[12]

Between each of the verses there oftentimes is a chorus describing the conditions sailors face in a storm and the state of the sea that was caused by the mermaid.

Legacy

Robert Louis Stevenson cited this as "the dolorous old naval ballad" in his youthful work "Crabbed Age and Youth":

We sail in leaky bottoms and on great and perilous waters; and to take a cue from the dolorous old naval ballad, we have heard the mermaidens singing, and know that we shall never see dry land any more. Old and young, we are all on our last cruise.

The philologist and fantasy author J. R. R. Tolkien wrote a song in Old English, to be sung to the tune of The Mermaid.^[13]

First verse of one of J. R. R. Tolkien's Old English *Songs for the Philologists*
Ofer wídne gársecg	Across the broad ocean (prose translation)	The Mermaid
Þa ofer wídne gársecg wéow unwidre ceald, Sum hagusteald on lagu féoll on nicera geweald. He legde lást swa fýres gnást, he snúde on sunde fléah, Oþþæt he métte meremenn déopan grunde néah.	When the cold blast was blowing across the broad ocean, a young man fell into the sea, into the power of nixies. As fast as fire he made his way, he swam along so quickly – until he met the mermen near the deep sea-bottom.	Oh 'twas in the broad Atlantic, mid the equinoctial gales That a young fellow fell overboard among the sharks and whales And down he went as a streak of light, so quickly down went he Until he came to a mermaid at the bottom of the deep blue sea.

Notes

^ "The Mermaid / The Sailor's Song / Our Gallant Ship (Roud 124; Child 289; G/D 1:27)". mainlynorfolk.info. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c Nelson-Burns
^ Atkinson 1998, p. 446
^ Winick, Stephen (24 May 2018). ""The Mermaid": the Fascinating Tail Behind an Ancient Ballad | Folklife Today". The Library of Congress. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
^ Atkinson 1998, p. 440
^ Niles 2000, p. 325
^ ^a ^b ^c Cazden, Haufrecht & Studer 1983, p. 262
^ Hilcourt 1961, p. 20
^ "The Merrymac at Sea". Max Hunter Folk Song Collection. Missouri State University. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
^ ^a ^b Niles 2000, p. 326
^ Roud & Bishop 2012, p. 33
^ Cazden, Haufrecht & Studer 1983, p. 263
^ Shippey, Tom (2005) [1982]. "Appendix B "Four 'Asterisk' Poems"". The Road to Middle-Earth (Third ed.). HarperCollins. pp. 399–408. ISBN 978-0261102750.

References and bibliography

Atkinson, David (1998). "The Child Ballads from England and Wales in the James Madison Carpenter Collection". Folk Music Journal. 7 (4).
Cazden, Norman; Haufrecht, Herbert; Studer, Norman (1983). Folk Songs of the Catskills. State University of New York Press. ISBN 0-87395-580-3.
Hilcourt, Bill (August 1961). "Green Bar Bill Says: Keep Your Feet Dry". Boys' Life. Boy Scouts of America.
Nelson-Burns, Lesley. "The Mermaid". Retrieved 8 August 2012.
Niles, John Jacob (2000). The Ballad Book of John Jacob Niles. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0813109876.
Roud, Steve; Bishop, Julia (2012). The New Penguin Book of English Folk Songs. London: Penguin Classic. ISBN 978-0141194615.

External links

Lyrics: The Mermaid
Alternate Version of the Lyrics: The Mermaid

[1] "The Mermaid / The Sailor's Song / Our Gallant Ship (Roud 124; Child 289; G/D 1:27)". mainlynorfolk.info. Retrieved 29 September 2024.

[NelsonBurns-2] Nelson-Burns

[3] Atkinson 1998, p. 446

[4] Winick, Stephen (24 May 2018). ""The Mermaid": the Fascinating Tail Behind an Ancient Ballad | Folklife Today". The Library of Congress. Retrieved 29 September 2024.

[5] Atkinson 1998, p. 440

[Niles325-6] Niles 2000, p. 325

[CH&N286-7] Cazden, Haufrecht & Studer 1983, p. 262

[8] Hilcourt 1961, p. 20

[9] "The Merrymac at Sea". Max Hunter Folk Song Collection. Missouri State University. Retrieved 11 December 2018.

[Niles326-10] Niles 2000, p. 326

[Roud33-11] Roud & Bishop 2012, p. 33

[CH&N263-12] Cazden, Haufrecht & Studer 1983, p. 263

[Shippey_2005-13] Shippey, Tom (2005) [1982]. "Appendix B "Four 'Asterisk' Poems"". The Road to Middle-Earth (Third ed.). HarperCollins. pp. 399–408. ISBN 978-0261102750.

[1]

[2]

[3]

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[5]

[6]

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
-'''''The Mermaid''''' is a ballad, catalogued as [[Child Ballads|Child Ballad]] #289, [[Roud Folk Song Index|Roud]] 124. Dating to around the mid-18th century, this song is known by a number of names, including ''Waves on the Sea'',<ref name="NelsonBurns">{{harvnb|Nelson-Burns}}</ref> ''The Stormy Winds''<ref>{{harvnb|Atkinson|1998|p=446}}</ref> and ''The Wrecked Ship.''<ref name="NelsonBurns" /><ref name="RFSI">Roud Folk Song Indexes, Vaughan Williams Memorial Library; https://www.vwml.org/search?ts=1490310343340&collectionfilter=HHA;SBG;LEB;JHB;GB;COL;CC;DCD;GG;AGG;PG;HAM;MK;FK;EML;MN;TFO;CJS1;CJS2;FSBW;RVW1;RVW2;AW;RoudFS;RoudBS&advqtext=0|rn|124# Retrieved 2017/03/23</ref>
+{{short description|Traditional song}}
+{{for|"The Mermaid" (Child Ballad #42)|Clerk Colvill}}
+[[File:The book of British ballads (1842) (14596144348).jpg|thumb|''The Mermaid'' from ''The Book of British Ballads'' (1842)]]
+'''"The Mermaid"''' ([[Roud Folk Song Index|Roud]] 124, [[Child Ballads|Child]] 289) is a traditional folk ballad.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Mermaid / The Sailor's Song / Our Gallant Ship (Roud 124; Child 289; G/D 1:27) |url=https://mainlynorfolk.info/martin.carthy/songs/themermaid.html |access-date=2024-09-29 |website=mainlynorfolk.info}}</ref> Originating around the mid-18th century, this song is known by a number of names, including '''"Waves on the Sea"''',<ref name="NelsonBurns">{{harvnb|Nelson-Burns}}</ref> '''"The Stormy Winds"''',<ref>{{harvnb|Atkinson|1998|p=446}}</ref> '''"Our Gallant Ship"''', and '''"The Wrecked Ship"'''.<ref name="NelsonBurns" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Winick |first=Stephen |date=2018-05-24 |title="The Mermaid": the Fascinating Tail Behind an Ancient Ballad {{!}} Folklife Today |url=https://blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2018/05/the-mermaid/ |access-date=2024-09-29 |website=The Library of Congress}}</ref>
-The song belongs in the category of sea ballads, being a song sailors sung during their time off and not while they worked, but is more commonly thought of as a [[sea shanty]].<ref>{{harvnb|Atkinson|1998|p=440}}</ref>  It is well known in American folk tradition, and the text has appeared in many forms in both print and oral mediums.<ref name=Niles325>{{harvnb|Niles|2000|p=325}}</ref><ref name=CH&N286>{{harvnb|Cazden|Haufrecht|Studer|1983|p=262}}</ref> The ballad remains part of American culture as a song sung at camps operated by the [[Boy Scouts of America]] as well as in public school music education classes.<ref>{{harvnb|Hillcourt|1961|p=20}}</ref>
+The song belongs in the category of sea ballads, being a song sailors sung during their time off and not while they worked, but is more commonly thought of as a [[sea shanty]].<ref>{{harvnb|Atkinson|1998|p=440}}</ref>  It is well known in American folk tradition as well as European traditions, and the text has appeared in many forms in both print and oral mediums.<ref name=Niles325>{{harvnb|Niles|2000|p=325}}</ref><ref name=CH&N286>{{harvnb|Cazden|Haufrecht|Studer|1983|p=262}}</ref> The ballad remains part of American culture as a song sung at camps operated by the [[Boy Scouts of America]] as well as in public school music education classes.<ref>{{harvnb|Hilcourt|1961|p=20}}</ref>
 ==Synopsis==
-The ballad describes a ship that left port, its misadventure and eventual sinking. The moral of the song is that [[mermaid]]s are a sign of an impending shipwreck.<ref name="NelsonBurns" /> It is sung from the point of view of a member of the ship's crew, although the ship sinks without any survivors. Often the ship is said to be departing on a Friday morning, but there are other versions of the lyrics including one that has it leaving on a Saturday night.<ref name=CH&N286 /><ref name=Niles326>{{harvnb|Niles|2000|p=326}}</ref>  On the way out to sea, the captain sees a mermaid with a "comb and a [[Mirror|glass]] in her hand".<ref name=Niles326 />
+The ballad describes a ship that left port, its misadventure and eventual sinking. The moral of the song is that [[mermaid]]s are a sign of an impending shipwreck.<ref name="NelsonBurns" /> It is sung from the point of view of a member of the ship's crew, although the ship sinks without any survivors. In most versions the ship is unnamed but in a version sung by [[Almeda Riddle]], the mermaid disappears and the ship is identified as the Merrymac.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Merrymac at Sea |url=https://maxhunter.missouristate.edu/songinformation.aspx?ID=0964 |website=Max Hunter Folk Song Collection |publisher=Missouri State University |access-date=11 December 2018}}</ref> Often the ship is said to be departing on a Friday morning, but there are other versions of the lyrics including one that has it leaving on a Saturday night.<ref name=CH&N286 /><ref name=Niles326>{{harvnb|Niles|2000|p=326}}</ref> On the way out to sea, the captain sees a mermaid with a "comb and a [[Mirror|glass]] in her hand".<ref name=Niles326 />
-Three parallel stanzas most often follow describing how three of the crew members, contemplating impending disaster, would rather be somewhere else than on the ocean floor; for example, the cook would rather be with his pots and pans.<ref name=CH&N286 /> In English versions crew members often identify their home port and the people (parents, wives, children) who will mourn for them.<ref>Roud, S, and Bishop, J; The New Penguin Book of English Folk Songs; London, 2012 p 33</ref>
+Three parallel stanzas most often follow describing how three of the crew members, contemplating impending disaster, would rather be somewhere else than on the ocean floor; for example, the cook would rather be with his pots and pans.<ref name=CH&N286 /> In English versions crew members often identify their home port and the people (parents, wives, children) who will mourn for them.<ref name=Roud33>{{harvnb|Roud|Bishop|2012|p=33}}</ref>
 The home of the crew members varies from version to version, but it has been assigned to almost every port town in Britain and the East Coast of the United States.  At the end of the ballad the ship turns around three times and sinks with all hands; there are no survivors.<ref name=CH&N263>{{harvnb|Cazden|Haufrecht|Studer|1983|p=263}}</ref>
-Many versions have a chorus describing the conditions sailors face in a storm:
+Between each of the verses there oftentimes is a chorus describing the conditions sailors face in a storm and the state of the sea that was caused by the mermaid.
-<blockquote>
-When the stormy winds they did blow rough rough<br />
-And the raging seas did roar<br />
-While we poor sailors are up & to the top<br />
-And the land lubbers lying down below<br />
-</blockquote>
-From the singing of Alfred Chard, Chew Magna, Somerset, Jan 11 1907, collected by [[Cecil Sharp]].<ref>Full English Collections; Vaughan Williams Memorial Library,  Permanent URL: https://www.vwml.org/record/CJS2/9/1159 Retrieved 2017/03/24</ref>
+==Legacy==
-In most versions the ship is unnamed but in a version sung by [[Almeda Riddle]] of [[Greers Ferry, Arkansas]], and collected by Max Hunter the mermaid disappears and the ship is identified as the Merrymac, perhaps influenced by the name of one of several [[US Navy]] ships named Merrimack.
+[[Robert Louis Stevenson]] cited this as "the dolorous old naval ballad" in his youthful work "Crabbed Age and Youth":
-<blockquote>
+<blockquote>We sail in leaky bottoms and on great and perilous waters; and to take a cue from the dolorous old naval ballad, we have heard the mermaidens singing, and know that we shall never see dry land any more. Old and young, we are all on our last cruise.
-I will sing you a song of the Merrymac at sea<br />
-O, a fine large vessel was she<br />
-An' she set sail for [[New Orleans]]<br />
-Then, sank to th bottom of the sea<ref name="Merrymac" /><br />
 </blockquote>
+The philologist and fantasy author [[J. R. R. Tolkien]] wrote a song in [[Old English]], to be sung to the tune of The Mermaid.<ref name="Shippey 2005">{{cite book |last=Shippey |first=Tom |author-link=Tom Shippey |chapter=Appendix B "Four 'Asterisk' Poems" |title=[[The Road to Middle-Earth]] |date=2005 |edition=Third |orig-year=1982 |publisher=HarperCollins |isbn=978-0261102750 |pages=399–408}}</ref>
-==History==
-A blackletter [[Broadside (music)|broadside]] entitled ''The Praise of Saylors here set forth'' dating from between 1654 and 1658 contains verses relating the encounter with the mermaid and the storm as well as others about the roles of various crew men, and the many virtues of sailors.<ref>English Broadside Ballad Archive; EBBA ID: 31876
-University of Glasgow Library - Euing 267 http://ebba.english.ucsb.edu/ballad/31876/image Retrieved 2017/03/23</ref> Child's A version, titled ''The Seamen's Distress'', was taken from "The Glasgow Lasses Garland", a [[chapbook]]<ref>Child, F J; The English and Scottish Popular Ballads Vol 5 part 1; 1894; No 289.</ref> published between about 1765 and 1785.<ref>Roud, S, and Bishop, J; The New Penguin Book of English Folk Songs; London, 2012 pp385-7</ref>
-''The Mermaid'' was frequently printed in broadsides and in song-books in the late 18th century and throughout the 19th century.<ref name="RFSI" /> The earliest of 17 broadside copies in the [[Bodleian Library]] broadside collection was printed by G Thompon of Liverpool between 1789 and 1820.<ref>Bodleian Ballads Online; Shelfmark: 2806.17(274) http://ballads.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/view/edition/8729 Retrieved 2017/03/23</ref>
-===Collection history===
-The Roud Folk Song Index contains about 93 different versions collected from traditional singers: 27 from England, 1 from Wales, 12 from Scotland, 1 from Ireland, 5 from Canada and 49 from the USA.<ref name="RFSI"/>
-==Recording history==
-===Field recordings===
-Some field recordings are available to listen online.
-*[[Percy Grainger]] had a [[wax cylinder]] recording made in 1908 of [[Joseph Taylor]] singing ''Three Times Round Went Our Gallant Ship''.<ref name="RFSI" />
-* ''The Mermaid'' sung by Norfolk singer [[Walter Pardon]], recorded by [[Bill Leader]] in 1974, is in the Reg Hall Collection, British Museum Sound Archive<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sounds.bl.uk/World-and-traditional-music/Reg-Hall-Archive/025M-C0903X0057XX-0500V0|work=[[British Library Sounds]]|title=Reg Hall English, Irish & Scottish Folk Music & Customs Collection - The mermaid|accessdate=10 March 2018}}</ref>
-* ''The Merrymac at Sea'' sung by Arkansas singer [[Almeda Riddle]], recorded by [[Max Hunter]] in 1970, is in the Max Hunter collection, [[Missouri State University]].<ref name="Merrymac">{{cite web|url=https://maxhunter.missouristate.edu/songinformation.aspx?ID=0964|work=[[Missouri State University]]|title=Max Hunter Folk Song Collection - The Merrymac at Sea|accessdate=10 March 2018}}</ref>
+{| class="wikitable"
-===Commercial recordings===
+|+ First verse of one of [[J. R. R. Tolkien]]'s [[Old English]] ''[[Songs for the Philologists]]''
-*[[Ernest Stoneman]] and the Blue Ridge Corn Shuckers recorded ''The Raging Sea How It Roars'' in 1928.
+|-
-*[[The Carter Family]] recorded ''The Waves on the Sea'' in 1941.<ref name="RFSI" />
+! {{lang|ang|Ofer wídne gársecg}} !! Across the broad ocean (prose translation) !! The Mermaid
+|-
+| <poem>{{lang|ang|Þa ofer wídne gársecg wéow unwidre ceald,
+Sum hagusteald on lagu féoll on nicera geweald.
+He legde lást swa fýres gnást, he snúde on sunde fléah,
+Oþþæt he métte meremenn déopan grunde néah.}}</poem>
+| <poem>When the cold blast was blowing across the broad ocean,
+a young man fell into the sea, into the power of [[Nixie (folklore)|nixies]].
+As fast as fire he made his way, he swam along so quickly –
+until he met the mermen near the deep sea-bottom.</poem>
+| <poem>Oh 'twas in the broad Atlantic, mid the equinoctial gales
+That a young fellow fell overboard among the sharks and whales
+And down he went as a streak of light, so quickly down went he
+Until he came to a mermaid at the bottom of the deep blue sea.</poem>
+|}
 ==See also==
@@ Line 54: / Line 49: @@
 ==References and bibliography==
-*{{cite journal|last=Atkinson|first=David|title=The Child Ballads from England and Wales in the James Madison Carpenter Collection|journal=Folk Music Journal|year=1998|volume=7|issue=4|ref=harv}}
+*{{cite journal|last=Atkinson|first=David|title=The Child Ballads from England and Wales in the James Madison Carpenter Collection|journal=Folk Music Journal|year=1998|volume=7|issue=4}}
-*{{cite book|last=Cazden|first=Norman|title=Folk Songs of the Catskills|year=1983|publisher=State University of New York Press|isbn=0-87395-580-3|first2=Herbert|last2=Haufrecht|first3=Norman|last3=Studer|ref=harv}}
+*{{cite book|last1=Cazden|first1=Norman|title=Folk Songs of the Catskills|year=1983|publisher=State University of New York Press|isbn=0-87395-580-3|first2=Herbert|last2=Haufrecht|first3=Norman|last3=Studer}}
-*{{cite magazine|last=Hilcourt|first=Bill|title=Green Bar Bill Says: Keep Your Feet Dry|magazine=[[Boys' Life]]|date=August 1961|publisher=Boy Scouts of America|ref=harv}}
+*{{cite magazine|last=Hilcourt|first=Bill|title=Green Bar Bill Says: Keep Your Feet Dry|magazine=[[Boys' Life]]|date=August 1961|publisher=Boy Scouts of America}}
-*{{cite web|last=Nelson-Burns|first=Lesley|title=The Mermaid|url=http://www.contemplator.com/sea/mermaid.html|accessdate=8 August 2012|ref=harv}}
+*{{cite web|last=Nelson-Burns|first=Lesley|title=The Mermaid|url=http://www.contemplator.com/sea/mermaid.html|access-date=8 August 2012}}
-*{{cite book|last=Niles|first=John Jacob|title=The Ballad Book of [[John Jacob Niles]]|year=2000|publisher=University Press of Kentucky|isbn=0813109876|ref=harv}}
+*{{cite book|last=Niles|first=John Jacob|title=The Ballad Book of [[John Jacob Niles]]|year=2000|publisher=University Press of Kentucky|isbn=0813109876}}
+*{{cite book |last1=Roud |first1=Steve |last2=Bishop |first2=Julia |title=The New Penguin Book of English Folk Songs |date=2012 |publisher=Penguin Classic |location=London |isbn=978-0141194615}}
 ==External links==
@@ Line 64: / Line 60: @@
 *Alternate Version of the Lyrics: [http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/ch289.htm The Mermaid]
 {{Francis James Child}}
+{{Authority control}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Mermaid}}
+[[Category:18th-century ballads]]
 [[Category:Child Ballads]]
-[[Category:Fictional mermen and mermaids]]
+[[Category:Fiction about merfolk]]
 [[Category:Year of song unknown]]
+[[Category:Sea shanties]]
+[[Category:Songs of the American Civil War]]

v t e Francis James Child
The Child Ballads	Sir Aldingar Alison and Willie Allison Gross Andrew Lammie Archie o Cawfield Kinmont Willie Auld Matrons Babylon The Baffled Knight The Bailiff's Daughter of Islington Barbara Allen The Battle of Otterburn The Beggar-Laddie Adam Bell The Bent Sae Brown Bessy Bell and Mary Gray Blancheflour and Jollyflorice The Bold Pedlar and Robin Hood Bonnie Annie The Bonnie Earl O' Moray Bonnie George Campbell Bonny Baby Livingston Bonny Bee Hom The Bonny Birdy The Bonny Hind The Bonnie House of Airlie The Bonny Lass of Anglesey Bonny Lizie Baillie The Boy and the Mantle Broom of the Cowdenknowes The Broomfield Hill Broughty Wa's Brown Adam The Brown Girl Brown Robin Brown Robyn's Confession Burd Ellen and Young Tamlane Burd Isabel and Earl Patrick Captain Ward and the Rainbow Captain Wedderburn's Courtship The Carnal and the Crane The Cherry-Tree Carol The Ballad of Chevy Chase Child Maurice Child Owlet Child Waters Christopher White Clerk Colvill Clerk Saunders The Clerk's Twa Sons o Owsenford The Crafty Farmer Crow and Pie The Cruel Brother The Cruel Mother The Daemon Lover The Death of Parcy Reed The Death of Queen Jane Dick o the Cow Dives and Lazarus The Dowie Dens o Yarrow Dugall Quin The Duke of Athole's Nurse The Duke of Gordon's Daughter Earl Brand Earl Crawford The Earl of Errol The Earl of Mar's Daughter Earl Rothes Edom o Gordon Edward The Elfin Knight Eppie Morrie Erlinton Fair Annie The Fair Flower of Northumberland Fair Janet Fair Margaret and Sweet William Fair Mary of Wallington The False Lover Won Back The Famous Flower of Serving-Men The Farmer's Curst Wife Fause Foodrage The Fause Knight Upon the Road The Friar in the Well The Gardener The Gay Goshawk Geordie The George Aloe and the Sweepstake A Gest of Robyn Hode Get Up and Bar the Door Gil Brenton Glasgerion Glasgow Peggie Glenlogie The Great Silkie of Sule Skerry The Grey Cock Gude Wallace The Raggle Taggle Gypsy Battle of Harlaw The Heir of Linne Hind Etin Hind Horn Hobie Noble Hughie Graham James Hatley Jamie Douglas Jellon Grame Jock o' the Side Jock the Leg and the Merry Merchant John Dory John of Hazelgreen Johnie Cock Johnie Scot Johnnie Armstrong The Jolly Beggar The Jolly Pinder of Wakefield Judas Katharine Jaffray The Keach i the Creel Kemp Owyne Kempy Kay King Arthur and King Cornwall King Edward the Fourth and a Tanner of Tamworth King Estmere King Henry King Henry Fifth's Conquest of France King John and the Bishop The King's Disguise, and Friendship with Robin Hood The King's Dochter Lady Jean Lang Johnny More The Kitchie-Boy The Knight and the Shepherd's Daughter The Knight's Ghost The Knoxville Girl The Lads of Wamphray Lady Alice Lady Diamond Lady Elspat Lady Isabel Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight Lady Maisry The Laily Worm and the Machrel of the Sea The Laird o Drum The Laird o Logie Lamkin The Lass of Roch Royal Leesome Brand Sir Lionel Little John a Begging Lizie Lindsay Lizie Wan The Lochmaben Harper Lord Ingram and Chiel Wyet Lord Lovel Lord Maxwell's Last Goodnight The Lord of Lorn and the False Steward Lord Randall Lord Saltoun and Auchanachie Lord Thomas and Fair Annet Lord Thomas and Lady Margaret Lord Thomas Stuart Lord William The Maid and the Palmer The Maid Freed from the Gallows The Marriage of Sir Gawain Mary Hamilton Matty Groves The Mermaid The Mother's Malison The New-Slain Knight The Noble Fisherman Northumberland Betrayed By Douglas Old Robin of Portingale Sir Orfeo Prince Heathen Prince Robert Proud Lady Margaret Queen Elanor's Confession The Queen of Elfan's Nourice The Queen of Scotland The Rantin Laddie Redesdale and Wise William Richie Story Riddles Wisely Expounded Robin Hood and Allan-a-Dale Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne Robin Hood and Little John Robin Hood and Maid Marian Robin Hood and Queen Katherine Robin Hood and the Beggar Robin Hood and the Bishop Robin Hood and the Bishop of Hereford Robin Hood and the Butcher Robin Hood and the Curtal Friar Robin Hood and the Golden Arrow Robin Hood and the Monk Robin Hood and the Pedlars Robin Hood and the Potter Robin Hood and the Prince of Aragon Robin Hood and the Ranger Robin Hood and the Scotchman Robin Hood and the Shepherd Robin Hood and the Tanner Robin Hood and the Tinker Robin Hood and the Valiant Knight Robin Hood Newly Revived Robin Hood Rescuing Three Squires Robin Hood Rescuing Will Stutly Robin Hood's Birth, Breeding, Valor, and Marriage Robin Hood's Chase Robin Hood's Death Robin Hood's Delight Robin Hood's Golden Prize Robin Hood's Progress to Nottingham Robyn and Gandeleyn The Rose of England Rose the Red and White Lily Saint Stephen and Herod Sheath and Knife Sir Cawline Sir James the Rose Sir Patrick Spens The Suffolk Miracle The Sweet Trinity Sweet William's Ghost Tam Lin Thomas o Yonderdale Thomas the Rhymer The Three Ravens Tom Potts A True Tale of Robin Hood The Twa Brothers The Twa Magicians The Twa Sisters The Unquiet Grave Walter Lesly The Wee Wee Man The West Country Damosel's Complaint The White Fisher The Whummil Bore The Wife of Usher's Well The Wife Wrapt in Wether's Skin Will Stewart and John Willie and Earl Richard's Daughter Willie and Lady Maisry Willie o Douglas Dale Willie o Winsbury Willie's Fatal Visit Willie's Lady Willie's Lyke-Wake The Wylie Wife of the Hie Toun Hie Young Andrew Young Beichan Young Benjie The Young Earl of Essex's Victory over the Emperor of Germany Young Hunting Young Johnstone Young Peggy Young Ronald Young Waters
Operas	Il pesceballo
Related	List of the Child Ballads Percy Folio "The Crabfish"