As The Dew Flies- Edwards (VT) c.1939 Flanders C
[No date given, Flanders collected other ballads from Edwards in 1939 so I've taken that date- however, his version is certainly much older, probably dating back to the 1800s. As I remember George Edwards (1877-1949) learned many ballads from his father, the Northumbrian branch of his family.
I have a particular distain for changing the word valley to vallee. The possibility exists that the "dew" was originally the British "doo" or "dove." Flander's extensive notes are below. She refers to the "Dandee" refrain which is almost always "Dandoo" in the South, not "Dandee."
R. Matteson Jr. 2013]
The Wife Wrapped in Wether's Skin (Child 277)
This ballad derives from an old tale which Child, v, 104, cites under the title "The Wife Lapped in Morrel's Skin" and is related to a whole host of stories on similar themes. See Aarne-Thompson, Mt. 1370*.
The ballad is still popular in America, where the basic outline of the story remains constant, but where the minor details vary greatly. william H. Jansen has made a careful study (HFQ IV, #3,41) of the ballad and its developments in America [see article attached to Recordings & Info page], and from his remarks two groupings of the American texts emerge: songs with the "dandee, clish maclinge" refrains, popular in the South and Midwest; and songs with the "juniper, gentian, and rosemary" refrains, popular in the South and Northeast. The plant refrains of the latter group have caused some comment. Phillips Barry, British Ballads from Maine, 324-5, suggests, on the authority of Lucy Broadwood (JFSS, II, 12-15), that the wife originally was beaten to exorcise the evil spirits that infested her and that "juniper, gentian, and rosemary" were regarded as charms against the demons. Later the names of the plants were forgotten and confused with the names of girls, June, Jenny, and Rose Mary.
The Flanders texts are highly representative of the American forms of the ballad. A-I, with the plant refrain, relate to Child F (from Massachusetts) and are normal Northeastern versions. J-L illustrate the "dandee" refrain and the common "old man who lived in the West" opening.
M-N (see also Child C) are from the Scottish tradition. Text L, which concerns "Riddleson's daughter Dinah," is the only unusual version in the group. See Coffin, 146-8 (American); Belden, 92-94 (English); and Greig and Keith, 218-20 (Scottish) for bibliographical material and discussion.
All of the tunes for child 277 except the Richards tune are members of the same tune family. Within this group, the Prevost and Baldwin tunes are especially close, as are the Hayward and Hall tunes. The Monson tune is slightly outside the group.
C. As the Dew Flies Over the Green Vallee- As sung by George Edwards of Burlington, Vermont. H. H. F., Collector
Structure: A Ba C Dc C Dc (2,2,2,2,2,2); Rhythm B; Contour: descending; Scale: Aeolian t.c. A.
For mel. rel. see sharp I 272 C; 273 D; BES 323.
And now he brings a gentle wife;
Juniper gentle Rose-Marie;
And though she's not particul'ly bright,
As the dew flies over the green vallee.
And though she's not particul'ly bright,
As the dew flies over the green vallee.
But she can't card nor she can't spin
For fear of spoiling her delicate skin.
Now he comes in, comes in from plough,
And says, "Dear wife, is your dinner done now?"
She called him a saucy whelp; [1]
"If you want any dinner-go get it yourself!"
And out he goes to the sheep-fold
And drawers the big fat wether to the pole.
He wraps the skin on his wife's back
And with two sticks he went whickety-whack.
"I'll tell my parents and my kin!
To beat my back is surely a sin!"
"You may tell your parents and your kin!
I'm beating nothing but my wether's skin."
And now she spins and spins and cards
And says, "Dear one, your dinner is done."
She hauls the table, spreads the board,
And "O dear husband," with every word.
And ever since that, she's been a good wife;
I hope she remains so all the days of her life.
My footnote:
1. The versions that rhyme use: elf