Bluegrass Messengers

Religious Ballads: The Carnal and the Crane; McCabe 1980

[From: A critical study of some traditional religious ballads by  Mary Diane (Molly) McCabe

I'm not sure when I'm going to proof this completely; obviously it doesn't scan well and would require hours of editing. Some of it is legible. The chapter may be viewed online: Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/7804/

Appendix is included at the end.

R. Matteson 2014]

CHAPTER FIVE
 'THE CARNAL AND THE CRANE' (Child 55)

A list of eleven broadside texts of The Carnal and the Crane, with six fragmentary variants from oral tradition, is given below in Appendix B. All but one of these texts are from the West Midlands. The exception, 3a, sung by Surrey gypsies, may also have originated in the West Midlands, since gypsies from the Southern counties traveled there in the summer to help with hop-picking[1].

The extant b a l l a d appears to be a s i x t e e n t h century r e d a c t i on of an earlier poem or poems which has itself undergone slight r e m o d e l l i n g at a later date. The evidence for this conclusion will emerge during d i s c u s s i o n of the b a l l a d ' s sources in the apocrypha, i t s analogues i n Middle E n g l i s h t r a d i t i o n , its 'p o l i t e ' style and its d e f i c i e n t end-rhymes.

The broadside v a r i a n t s are c l o s e l y r e l a t e d , being t h i r ty
stanzas long and c o m p r i s i n g f o u r episodes: f i r s t , the singer overhears a c o n v e r s a t i o n by a river side between two birds, a 'carnal' and a crane. The c a r n a l informs the crane of the advent of the Son of God and goes on to i n q u i r e about the V i r g i n B i r t h . The crane e x p l a i n s that C h r i s t ' s mother was a pure virgin and t h a t C h r i s t Himself lived in p o v e r t y . The crane then relates t h r e e Nativity s t o r i e s far o a s t e d cock r e v i v e s and crows t o
announce C h r i s t ' s b i r t h and Herod i n rage orders the s l a u g h t e r of the I n n o c e n t s. Jesus, Joseph and Mary, however, take f l i g ht f o r Egypt. On the j o u r n e y , Mary grows weary and t h e y r e st
among f i e r c e wild beasts. Jesus t e l l s His mother t o observe
how the b e a s t s will worship Him. The l i o n , the f i r s t to approach,
i s . made the K i n g of Beasts. Next, the Holy Family meet a husbandman sowing corn. Jesus g r e e t s him and t e l l s him to g a t h e r in  his corn, which has m i r a c u l o u s l y ripened. The husbandman f a l l s on h i s knees and acknowledges Jesus as the
Redeemer. Jesus r e p l i e s t h a t he has spoken the t r u t h and urges
him to t e l l anyone who makes i n q u i r i e s f o r Jesus t h a t He passed
by as the husbandman was sowing h i s seed. Shortly a f t e r w a r d s,
Herod and h i s guards a r r i v e , but the husbandman answers as
i n s t r u c t e d . The Captain of the Guard urges h i s men to t u r n back,
f o r i t must be three q u a r t e r s of a year since the husbandman
sowed h i s seed. Thus Herod was deceived by the work of God
H i m s e l f . The crane concludes h i s n a r r a t i v e by r e f l e c t i n g on
the thousands of Innocents s l a i n , e x p l a i n i n g t h a t he has now
t o l d hov/ the V i r g i n brought f o r t h God the Son.
A h i t h e r t o u n n o t i c e d poem i n a Birmingham chapbook of about
1800 would seem to be a v e r s i o n of C h i l d 55 r e w r i t t e n i n a more
'elegant', s t y l e , probably d u r i n g the e i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r y . The
chapbook. Three New Carols f o r Christmas, was p r i n t e d by
2
"S. M a r t i n , P r i n t e r , A n n - s t r e e t , Birmingham" and the poem,
'A Carol f o r Christmas Day', is of p a r t i c u l a r i n t e r e s t i n t h at
i t suggests t h a t The Carnal and the Crane once contained other
episodes. I give t h i s poem i n f u l l , e x a c t l y as p r i n t e d i n the
chapbook, except that the l e t t e r 's' i s g i v e n i n i t s modern form.
Obvious mistakes are r e c t i f i e d i n p a r e n t h e s i s i n the margin:

1 . When Jesus C h r i s t our Lord,
Descended from on h i g h.
For to redeem mankind's l o s t race.
I n great h u m i l i t y,
5 A g l o r i o u s s t a r appear'd
L i k e Phoebus i n the morn,
Whose rays ( t i l l then unknown bespoke.
Some mighty k i n g was born.
This s t a r some wise men saw,
10 And they by magic a rt
Knew i t denoted some great b i r t h ,
S a l v a t i o n to i m p a r t .
E l a t e w i t h j o y they soon,
Prepar'd our Lord to f i n d ,

15 And guided by the s t a r they came,
Unto the p l a c e assigned.
The choicest drugs t h e i r land,
Could y i e l d they w i t h them b r i n g,
Myrrh f o r a man, increase f o r God, (incense)
20 And g o l d , as f o r a k i n g.
To Herod's c o u r t they came,
E n q u i r i n g where he was.
That was born k i n g o f t h e Jews, f o r they
I n the e a s t t h i s s t a r d i d see
25 A panick s e i z ' d k i n g Herod,
Who thus i n rage r e p l y ' d,
Then may t h i s cock r e v i v e and crow.
I n sign you have not l y ' d;
No sooner spoke but s t r a i g h t ,
30 To a d m i r a t i o n rose,
The naked cock, h i s y o u t h f u l plumes,
Around h i s body shows.
I n gaudy p r i d e a r r a y 'd
T h r i c e o'er he c l a p ' d h i s wings,
35 And crow'd as u s u a l t h r i c e,
. Herod t h a t haughty k i n g,
S u r p r i s ' d w i t h f e a r he stood,
Amazd w i t h h o r r o r q u a l l ' d (quailed)
L i k e thunder s t r u c k , u n t i l l at l e n g t h ,
40 Rage o'er h i s f e a r p r e v a i l ' d.
Then he i n w r a t h commands,
Our Saviour's l i f e to g a i n ,
A i l c h i l d r e n should (not two years o l d ,)
I n Bethlehem be s a l i n.
45 The e x e c u t i o n e r s.
Without delay proceed,
And i n a most inhuman s o rt
Young i n f a n t s caus'd t o b l e e d.
But God who knows a l l h e a r t s ,
50 Frustrates t h e i r great design.
And i n t o Egypt sends h i s Son
With, presence a l l d i v i n e.
When t h a t our S a v i o u r came,
I n t o the N i l l i a n Land,
55- Their i d o l s a l l i n s i l e n c e f e l l .
Nor could h i s power w i t h s t a n d.
By some i t i s a f f i r m ed
• • When they i n Egypt f l e d,
That being weary, they to r e s t ,
.60 Sat on a mossy bed.
And s t r a i g h t around them came,
Both tame and savage beasts,
F r i s k i n g around t o make them s p o r t.
As they sat t h e r e t o r e s t.
65 And f u r t h e r as they pass'd.
An husbandman they spy'd.
Sowing a c u l t i v a t e d f i e l d.
Near t o t h e highway side
Now as he sow'd behold
•70 • The seed sprung up amain,
A y e l l o w h a r v e s t crown'd the f i e l d .
Arid f u l l r i p e was t h e , g r a i n .


Thus d i d o u r b l e s s e d Lord,
Shew both h i s power and might,

75 Even when a babe, when he was born,
Clouded w i t h heavenly l i g h t.
Such was h i s wonderous love,
To us his, people here.
From t h i c k e s t darkness us he brought,

80 His r i g h t e o u s laws to f e a r.
Then: l e t us a l l u n i t e .
And p r a i s e h i s h o l y name.
And at t h i s h o l y f e s t i v al
84 His mighty acts p r o c l a i m.
FINIS.

This poem omits the d i a l o g u e of the c a r n a l and the crane, but both the combination of i n c i d e n t s and the s i m i l a r wording in l i n e s 9, 31-32, 43-44, 59-60, 62 and 64, 65-66 and 73 i n d i c a te
t h a t t h i s i s a r e w r i t t e n v e r s i o n of our b a l l a d . The poet i n c l u d es
s e v e r a l e x t r a d e t a i l s : the wise men's g i f t s are named and t h e ir
s i g n i f i c a n c e given ( l i n e s 15-20) and the i d o l s f a l l at t he
approach of the I n f a n t Jesus ( l i n e s 53-56). The s i g n i f i c a n c e of
the magi's g i f t s i s well-known and i s p r o b a b l y the r e v i s e r 's
own a d d i t i o n . The m i r a c l e o f the f a l l i n g i d o l s , however,
d e r i v e d from Pseudo-Matthew, i s i n t r o d u c e d i n the poem o n ly
b r i e f l y . Since the episode probably formed p a r t of the u r - b a l l a d,
i t i s i n c l u d e d i n d i s c u s s i o n o f the b a l l a d ' s sources. The •
r e w r i t i n g of The Carnal and the Crane i n a more f a s h i o n a b l e s t y le
suggests t h a t the b a l l a d was well-known i n the West Midlands
i n the eighteenth c e n t u r y and consequently there was a market f o r
a r e v i s e d v e r s i o n.
The broadside copies o f C h i l d 55 d i f f e r mostly i n minute,
i n s i g n i f i c a n t d e t a i l s , upon which i t would be hazardous t o
e r e c t p r e c i s e t h e o r i e s of t r a n s m i s s i o n , since i t i s l i k e l y t h at
many broadsides have been l o s t . The l a r g e s t v a r i a t i o n occurs
a t the p o i n t where the husbandman acknowledges C h r i s t ' s D i v i n i t y.

Broadsides IV and V (Sandys and S y l v e s t e r ) have:
The husbandman f e l l on h i s knees.
Even before h i s f a c e;
'Long time hast thou been looked f o r , .
But now thou a r t come a t l a s t;
'And I myself do now b e l i e ve
Thy name i s Jesus c a l l e d;
Redeemer o f mankind thou a r t ,
Though undeserving a l l .'
IV> V s t a s . 20, 21.
V I , VII.and IX (Bloomer, Jackson and Guest of Birmingham)
s u b s t i t u t e 'undeserving they' i n the l a s t ^ l i n e of stanza 20.
V I I I and. X I simply omit the l a s t two l i n e s . X, the Dudley
chapbook v e r s i o n , remodels stanza 21:
'There's none can any longer doubt
But thou a r t the t r u e Messias,
And I myself-do now b e l i e ve
Thy name i s c a l l e d Jesus.'
I l l H u s k . ' s v e r s i o n , also omits the 'undeserving' l i n e s , but
c o n t a i n s another two. l i n e s not found elsewhere:
The husbandman f e l l on h i s knees.
Even b e f o r e His face;
And made a l o w l y reverence
To Jesus C h r i s t His grace.
I l l s t a . 20.
O b v i o u s l y the rhyme scheme of t h i s p o r t i o n of the b a l l a d became
deranged and p r i n t e r s attempted t o mend i t . None o f the
emendations are t r a d i t i o n a l i n tone, w i t h the p o s s i b l e e x c e p t i on
o f the unique two l i n e s i n I I I , i n which the reference t o Jesus'
"grace" echoes the ' l i o n ' stanza (16.2) w h i l s t 'reverence' may
be an echo of L a t i n ' r e v e r e n t i a ' i n the Pseudo-Matthew account of
4 . •
the a d o r a t i o n o f the beasts .
I l l has other unique v a r i a t i o n s , a l l t r i f l i n g ; i t a l so
shares v a r i a n t readings w i t h broadside XI ( p r i n t e d by P r i c h a rd
o f Monmouth). Both XI and I I I may be d e r i v e d from an e i g h t e e n th
c e n t u r y W o r c e s t e r s h i r e copy. Broadside V I I I , p r i n t e d by Woodo
f Birmingham, a l s o e x h i b i t s some o f the f e a t u r e s o f I I I and X I,

which a r e . t h a t i n stanza 3.3 the Son i s s a i d t o come "out of
the land o f Egypt" ( I I I , V I I I , XI: cf. 3a s t a . 2.3 and 3b, l i n e 5)
i n stanza 10.4, the cock crows 'senses', not 'fences' three
( V I I I , X I : . c f . 2 s t a . 3.4); stanzas 13 and 18 begin, "then Jesus,
aye, and Joseph" ( I I I , X I ) i n s t e a d of the more awkward 'Jesus
ah! and Joseph'; in stanza 14.3, Mary 'grows' weary ( I I I , X I :
c f . 3a s t a . 6.3). Broadsides I I I , V I I I , 211 and also X. from
Dudley, preserve the rhyme b e t t e r i n stanzas 23 and 25 i n t h at
they end the s t a n z a s . w i t h the word 'sown'. In stanza 8.1 of
b r o a d s i d e s I I I , X and XI ( c f . 1 s t a . 3.1), the s t a r r i s e s i n
the 'East l a n d ' , not the 'West l a n d ' of broadsides 1 and IV - IX;
i n stanza 17.1, both X and 2^1 mention 'righteous' (not ' v i r t u o u s ')
p r i n c e s.
Broadsides I ^ , V I I and IX are v i r t u a l l y i d e n t i c a l : 1 may,
i n f a c t , be based on V I I . The d i s t i n g u i s h i n g f e a t u r e of
these t e x t s i s t h a t the s t a r stanza has been recast:
There was a s t a r i n the west l a nd
Which shed a c h e e r f u l ray,
I n t o King Herod's chamber,
And where King Herod l a y.
V I I s t a . 8. •.
The two stanzas which u s u a l l y end the b a l l a d , on the thousands
o f Innocents s l a i n , and the V i r g i n ' s b e a r i n g a son, have i n these
v e r s i o n s become p a r t of C h r i s t ' s speech t o . t h e husbandman,
a f t e r stanza 22.
The s t a r stanza i n . t r a d i t i o n a l t e x t _1 ( s t a . 3) i s c o r r u p t .•
but of the type j u s t quoted, and t h i s t r a d i t i o n a l t e x t probably
o r i g i n a t e d from a broadside, though not one we have. Like
t e x t s 3a and 3b, v e r s i o n 1 f e a t u r e s King Pharaoh, not Herod, as
the t y r a n t who pursues the Holy Family, and f o r whom the cock
m i r a c l e is performed. The confusion may simply have a r i s e n from
the reference to the 'land o f Egypt' in stanza 3 of some

b r o a d s i d e s : versions 1, 3a and 3b, being incomplete, l a c k t h is
stanza. (But see below.)
T r a d i t i o n a l t e x t 2, f o u r stanzas o n l y , preserves the
unusual 'senses t h r e e ' and has the unique d e t a i l t h a t t he
s t a r i n t h e f i r s t l i n e shines i n "David's land", perhaps i n
r e f e r e n c e t o Luke 11.11. Other v a r i a t i o n s i n t h i s v e r s i o n are
merely c o r r u p t i o n s.
The examples discussed so f a r suggest that by 1800 the
b a l l a d had a s t a b l e form w i t h few s i g n i f i c a n t v a r i a t i o n s and
t h a t l a t e r o r a l v a r i a n t s are p r o b a b l y d e r i v e d from these West
Midland broadsides. However, the gypsy v e r s i o n , King Pharim
(3a and 3b) i s b o t h m u s i c a l l y ^ and t e x t u a l l y d i s t i n c t . The
t e x t u a l v a r i a t i o n p a r t l y r e s u l t s from c o r r u p t i o n : thus, t he
cock m i r a c l e , because o f misplaced stanzas, i s made t o prove the
V i r g i n B i r t h ^ . Yet c e r t a i n expressions suggest t h a t the v e r s i o n
was r e v i s e d at some time i n t h e e i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r y:
K i n g Pharim sat a-musing,
A-musing a l l alone.
3a s t a . 1.1-2.
'Oh, i f you come out o f Egypt, man.
One t h i n g I f a i n I known ...'
3a s t a . 3.1-2.
Stanzas 6 - 9 employ unique l i n e s which probably represent an
attempt t o r e p l a c e words which would not have rhymed by t he
e i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r y ; since, however, the l i n e s might p o s s i b ly
preserve t r a d i t i o n a l f e a t u r e s found i n Middle English analogues,
they are discussed below. Small d e t a i l s already mentioned
i n d i c a t e t h a t amongst the b r o a d s i d e s . King Pharim i s most
c l o s e l y r e l a t e d t o I I I , V I I I and JCI, a p p a r e n t l y r e p r e s e n t i n g the
o l d e s t broadside t r a d i t i o n.
The broadside v e r s i o n o f The Carnal and the Crane opens:

As I passed by a r i v e r side,
And there as I d i d r e i n .
I n argument I chanced t o hear,
A . c a r n a l and a crane.
I l l s t a . 1.
Hone was p r o b a b l y c o r r e c t i n h i s suggestion t h a t o r i g i n a l l y t h e.
7
l a s t word i n l i n e 2 was some v a r i a n t o f t h e v e r b 'to r u n ' ;
a s i x t e e n t h c e n t u r y r e l i g i o u s parody o f a s e c u l a r song opens
8
s i m i l a r l y :
Downe be zone Riuer I r a n,
Downe be zone Riuer I r a n,
Thinkand on C h r i s t so f r e
That b r o c h t me t o l i b e r t i e
And I ane s i n f u l man.
R i v e r s i d e openings are found also i n s e c u l a r t r a d i t i o n a l b a l l a ds
and f o l k songs^, and i n romances"'"'^.
Overhearing the speech o f b i r d s i s a common device of
l a t e medieval poetry"''''", e s p e c i a l l y o f moral c a r o l s:
Under a f o r e s t t h a t was so l o ng
As I me r o d w i t h m e k y l l dred,
I hard a herd syngyng a song:
'Assay t h i f r e n d or thou hast.ned.' .
Greene no. 389 s t a . 1.
12
T a l k i n g b i r d s f e a t u r e i n b a l l a d p l o t s , b u t t h e f u n c t i o n o f the
c a r n a l and t h e crane i s m e r e l y t o convey the d e t a i l s o f the
N a t i v i t y s t o r y . The ' c a r n a l ' i s g e n e r a l l y presumed t o be a
crow, from French ' c o r n e i l l e ' , but t h e word i s . n o t found
13
elsewhere . The crane became e x t i n c t i n England at the end o f
14
the seventeenth century . A p p r o p r i a t e l y enough, i t i s a water
b i r d : perhaps, l i k e the heron"''^, i t s g r e a t power o f f l i g h t was •
supposed t o g i v e i t s e c r e t knowledge.
Christmas d i a l o g u e s , some i n v o l v i n g b i r d s and b e a s t s , were
c l e a r l y popular i n t h e l a t e middle ages: both the s u r v i v i n g
( t r u e ) Coventry mystery p l a y s , r e v i s e d by Robert Croo i n 1534
but i n c l u d i n g o l d e r m a t e r i a l , c o n t a i n dialogues on the same theme as that i n the ballad the meaning and details in the Nativity

story"''^. In The Shearmen and T a y l o r s ' Pageant, the second
prophet asks, l i k e the crane, whence C h r i s t . t h e King should
come, w h i l s t the f i r s t prophet e x p l a i n s t h a t God the Son was
born of a V i r g i n , and l a t e r t e l l s the s t o r y of the s t a r and
the shepherds' v i s i t . The second prophet asks i n what c a s t le
the shepherds saw Jesus. His f e l l o w r e p l i e s , l i k e the crane,
17
t h a t C h r i s t was born i n p o v e r t y :
Nothur i n h a l l i s nor y e t t i n bov/ris
Born wold he not be,
Nother i n c a s t e l l i s nor yet i n tov/ris
That semly were to se
But a t t hys Fathurs w y ll
The p r o f e c i to f u l l - f y l l .
B e t w i x t an ox and an as
Jesus, t h i s kyng, borne he was
Heyvin he bryng us t y l l.
The d e t a i l s of the ox and the ass are d e r i v e d from Pseudo-
18
Matthew . The l i n e , 'betwixt an ox and an ass' occurs in
broadside XI, stanza 3.4, of The Carnal and the Crane: other
broadsides have 'between an ox and an ass' at t h i s p o i n t.
19
S i m i l a r l i n e s are found i n medieval c a r o l s , u s u a l l y in
c o n j u n c t i o n w i t h references to the manger. Hence the v a r i a nt
r e a d i n g i n stanza 3.3 of I I I , V I I I and XI, 'Out of the land of
Egypt', may be a l a t e r emendation based on Matthew 11.14-15.
This i n t u r n suggests t h a t the mainstream broadsides which keep
the phrase ' i n a manger' (IV - V I I , IX, X) are not d i r e c t ly
d e r i v e d from I I I or X I , the o l d e s t broadsides.
The purpose of the m i r a c l e s i n The Carnal and the Crane i s ,
20
as Dr. Moser suggests , t o prove the i d e n t i t y , i . e . the D e i t y,
o f C h r i s t . However, the b i r d s ' dialogue also emphasises C h r i s t 's
D e i t y , and there i s evidence of d e l i b e r a t e a r t i s t i c purpose i n
the c o n s t r u c t i o n of the b a l l a d . The carnal t e l l s the crane:
'Before we had the Father,
But now we have the Son.'
  III sta. 2,3-4.

At the end o f t h e b a l l a d , the crane r e f e r s back to t h i s i n a
stanza o f which the c o r r e c t form i s found only i n broadsides
I I I and XI:
'The t r u t h now I have spoken.
And the t r u t h now I have shown; .
Thus the b l e s s e d V i r g in
Brought f o r t h our Lord the Son.'
I l l sta. 30; _cf. J^I'sta. 30. ,
Much o f the b i r d s ' speech e x p l a i n s , l i k e the angel's i n The
Cherry Tree C a r o l , t h a t though C h r i s t was God, He chose t o be
born i n poor circumstances: see C h i l d 55 stas.. 6, 7.
The c h a r a c t e r o f C h r i s t ' s mother i s a l s o testimony of
C h r i s t ' s D i v i n i t y:
' I pray thee,' s a i d the C a r n a l,
' ' T e l l me before thou goest.
Was not the Mother o f Jesus
Conceiv'd by the Holy Ghost?'
'She was the p u r e s t V i r g in
And the c l e a n e s t from a l l s i n;
She was the handmaid of the Lord
Arid the Mother o f our King.'
I l l stas. 4, 5.
C h i l d e r r o n e o u s l y supposed these.stanzas to. r e f e r t o the
21
Immaculate Conception of Mary , whereas i n f a c t they r e f e r to
Mary's conception o f Jesus, i . e . the I n c a r n a t i o n.
The d o c t r i n e o f the 'Immaculate Conception' holds that
i n the v e r y i n s t a n t t h a t Mary was conceived i n t h e normal way,
God a l l o w e d her s o u l by a s p e c i a l p r i v i l e g e to be f r e e d from a l l
s t a i n of o r i g i n a l s i n : Mary's soul was f l o o d e d w i t h the grace
o f the .Holy S p i r i t , f o r she was saved i n advance by the a t o n i ng
s a c r i f i c e of h e r Son. This d o c t r i n e o r i g i n a t e d i n t h e Eastern
Church, was accepted i n England as e a r l y as the e l e v e n t h c e n t u r y,
b u t encountered f i e r c e o p p o s i t i o n i n Europe i n t h e t h i r t e e n t h
c e n t u r y . I t was f o r m a l l y d e f i n e d as b i n d i n g on a l l C a t h o l i c s
only in 1854 by Pope Pius IX[22].

C h i l d was perhaps m i s l e d by the v e r b ''was conceived'
b e i n g used i n an o b s o l e t e sense t o mean 'became pregnant', a
usage found from the f i r s t h a l f of the f i f t e e n t h century u n t il
23
the mid seventeenth century . Hence the b a l l a d l i n e s i n f a c t
mean, 'Did n o t the Mother o f Jesus conceive by the agency o f t he
Holy Ghost?'. This meaning i s c o n f i r m e d by stanza 5.3, 'She was
the handmaid of the L o r d ' , which c l e a r l y r e f e r s to Mary's words.
a t the A n n u n c i a t i o n , recorded i n Luke 1.38.
Stanzas 8 - 12 o f t h e b a l l a d , on the m i r a c l e o f the cock
and the s l a y i n g of t h e I n n o c e n t s , are discussed above, i n
Chapter Three. Of the m i r a c l e s o f the F l i g h t to Egypt,- t h a t o f .
the instantaneous h a r v e s t i s t h e most mysterious i n o r i g i n .
Moser c o n s i d e r s t h a t the c o r n f i e l d s t o r y as i t appears i n .
European b a l l a d r y may have o r i g i n a t e d i n France, since i t .
appears i n a t h i r t e e n t h century French poem, o r . t h a t i f one
judges by the d i s t r i b u t i o n of the b a l l a d s on the subjiect, i t
24
may have come from the East . Ballads are found i n French,
Provencal and C a t a l a n , Dutch and Flemish, Swedish, K a r e l i an
25
F i n n i s h , Wendish, Serbian, Czech, P o l i s h and Piussian
Moser judges t h a t the s t o r y i s u l t i m a t e l y d e r i v e d from the
Acta P e t r i et Andreae, an apocryphal work of t h e s i x t h century
i n t h r e e r e c e n s i o n s , Greek, Old Church Slavonic and E t h i o p i a:
the work may go back i n p a r t , however, t o a second century
.Acta Andreae . According t o the A c t a P e t r i et Andreae, the'
C h r i s t C h i l d appears t o f i v e a p o s t l e s , i n c l u d i n g Peter and Andrew,
and sends them t o do m i s s i o n a r y work i n t h e c i t y o f the b a r b a r i a n s .
On the way, Andrew f e a r s they w i l l s u f f e r new hardships there
so Peter, seeing a. f a r m e r working i n t h e f i e l d s , decides t o t r y
an omen:, i f . he w i l l give them bread., they w i l l s u f f e r no
h a r d s h i p s i n t h e c i t y . Although the farmer i s hungry h i m s e lf


and has only r e n t e d h i s p l o u g h i n g oxen, he d f f e r s to go to the '
town and f e t c h bread f o r them i f they w i l l mind the f i e l d.
P e t e r takes the plough and Andrew sows the seed. The corn
i m m e d i a t e l y springs up, the farmer r e t u r n s and i s converted.
As i n s t r u c t e d by Peter, he takes back the oxen t o t h e i r owner
w i t h a sheaf of corn. Dr. Moser adduces o t h e r s a i n t s ' legends to
show t h a t the corn here symbolises the word of God but erroneously
supposes t h a t the idea i s not b i b l i c a l eind hence would have been
27
f o r g o t t e n a f t e r the middle ages . .
T h i s s t o r y c e r t a i n l y c o n t a i n s s e v e r a l f e a t u r e s o f l a t e r,
b a l l a d s : the husbandman i s w i l l i n g to h e l p , r e t u r n s t o f i n d the
c o r n r i p e n e d and t e s t i f i e s to God's power by being converted.
Yet i t d i f f e r s from l a t e r s t o r i e s i n t h a t i t concerns no p u r s u it
and the a p o s t l e s plough and sow to b r i n g about the m i r a c l e.
Pace Dr. Moser, I judge i t t o be an e a r l y , important analogue,
r a t h e r than the source of the c o r n f i e l d m i r a c l e on the f l i g ht
28
to Egypt .' Dr. Moser gives i n s u f f i c i e n t weight to the e a r l i er
c o n n e c t i o n of C h r i s t H i m s e l f w i t h wheat m i r a c l e s : apocryphal
Acts of the A p o s t l e s o f t e n show t h e i r hero performing m i r a c l es
29
o r i g i n a l l y worked by C h r i s t . No m i r a c l e appearing i n a s i x th
c e n t u r y work can be presumed to d e r i v e from the second century
30
w i t h o u t f i r m evidence .
The u l t i m a t e source of a l l apocryphal wheat m i r a c l e s i s
p r o b a b l y the parable of the sower, i n which C h r i s t Himself
31
e x p l a i n s t h a t the corn s i g n i f i e s the word of God . Other
i n f l u e n c e s may be C h r i s t ' s comparison of the kingdom of God to
a h a r v e s t , at which the a p o s t l e s are l a b o u r e r s , the parable of
33
t h e wheat and the t a r e s , the m u l t i p l i c a t i o n of loaves to feed
' 34
l a r g e crowds , the s t o r y of the d i s c i p l e s gleaning wheat on the Sabbath[35] and Christ's pronouncement that:

Except a corn o f wheat f a l l i n t o the.ground and
d i e , i t a b i d e t h alone: but i f i t d i e , i t b r i n g e t h
f o r t h much f r u i t .
John X I I . 2 4.
T h i s pronouncement c e r t a i n l y i n s p i r e d an apocryphal
m i r a c l e found i n a fragment of an Egyptian papyrus dated before-
150 A.D., in which the a d u l t C h r i s t i l l u s t r a t e s the saying to
H i s a p o s t l e s by sowing and r a i s i n g an instantaneous harvest from
a g r a i n of wheat on the banks of the Jordan
S t o r i e s of the I n f a n t C h r i s t r a i s i n g enormous h a r v e s ts
from a few g r a i n s of wheat appear i n the o l d e s t apocryphal
37
I n f a n c y Gospels . The I n f a n c y Gospel o f Thomas perhaps
3 8
o r i g i n a t e d i n the second c e n t u r y . Tischendorf p r i n t s two
Greek v e r s i o n s and one L a t i n , none o f the manuscripts p r e - d a t i ng
39
the t h i r t e e n t h century . However, there i s a l s o a s h o r t er
S y r i a c recension i n a s i x t h century manuscript and other o ld
40
v e r s i o n s i n Old Georgian, Old Slavonic and E t h i o p i c . The
purpose o f the gospel i s t o a n t i c i p a t e C h r i s t ' s l a t e r m i r a c l e s '
and p o r t r a y Jesus as an I n f a n t Prodigy. The numerous t r a n s l a t i o ns
o f the work and use of i t s s t o r i e s i n l a t e r apocryphal w r i t i n gs
41
a t t e s t i t s widespread p o p u l a r i t y throughout the medieval p e r i od
I n the o l d e s t e x t a n t v e r s i o n , the S y r i a c , the C h i l d Jesus
i s p l a y i n g : He sows a bushel of wheat and reaps a hundred
42
q u a r t e r s , g i v i n g them to the people of the v i l l a g e . • I n
Greek v e r s i o n A, Jesus, aged e i g h t , goes out i n the time of
sowing w i t h Joseph and sows one corn of wheat. He then reaps
and threshes i t , b r i n g i n g i n a hundred measures. Then he c a l ls
the poor to the t h r e s h i n g - f l o o r and gives them the wheat, Joseph
43
t a k i n g the residue . This m i r a c l e i s found, a l s o i n the L a t in
I n f a n c y Gospel of Thomas: Jesus sows a h a n d f u l of corn i n seedtime and in harvest calls teh poor, the widows and the fatherless:

He gives them the hundred measures of corn, except f o r a l i t t l e
44
which Joseph takes i n t o h i s house f o r a b l e s s i ng
The wheat m i r a c l e i n Pseudo-Matthew XXXIV i s c l e a r l y from
the same source: Jesus, aged e i g h t , sows a l i t t l e wheat which
He has taken from His mother's barn. I t s p r i n g s up, grows and
m u l t i p l i e s . Jesus reaps i t , gathers three q u a r t e r s of corn, and
., , 45
g i v e s i t t o many
I n the L a t i n I n f a n c y Gospel of Thomas, I , another corn
m i r a c l e occurs on the f l i g h t to.Egypt, when Jesus i s two years
o l d : Jesus walks through a sown f i e l d , takes some of the ears,
g r i n d s them, puts them on the f i r e , and eats. The f i e l d year
by year y i e l d s as many measures as the number of g r a i n s Jesus has
taken"^^.
Another story was known i n about 570 A.D., when Antonius
o f P l a c e n t i a , w h i l s t on p i l g r i m a g e , was shown i n f r o n t of the
47
church at J e r i c h o :
... the sacred f i e l d of land, i n which our Lord sowed
• c o r n w i t h h i s own hand - s o w i n g as much as three bushels
o f corn, which also i s gathered twice a year; f i r s t , in
the month of February, that i t may be used at the
communion at Easter; where i t has been gathered i t i s
ploughed, and gathered again w i t h the r e s t of the h a r v e s t.
Then i t i s ploughed.
I t seems a reasonable h y p o t h e s i s , on t h i s evidence, t h a t a
m i r a c l e s t o r y concerning the sowing of wheat was t o l d of the
a d u l t C h r i s t as e a r l y as the second c e n t u r y ; probably also
a t an e a r l y date, i t was taken over i n t o the Infancy Gospels and
was l a t e r connected w i t h the f l i g h t to Egypt, as i n the L a t in
I n f a n c y Gospel of Thomas. Once the legend of Herod's p u r s u i t was
e l a b o r a t e d , the wheat m i r a c l e was adapted, i n some work l o s t to
us, to p r o v i d e concealment f o r the Holy Family. The date at which
t h i s a d a p t a t i o n took place remains u n c l e a r , since the e a r l i er
wheat m i r a c l e s o f the C h r i s t C h i l d continued to be known and used.

A b r i e f comparison suggests t h a t The Carnal and t h e Crane
i s not d i r e c t l y d e r i v e d from the p r e s e n t European b a l l a d s o f the
m i r a c u l o u s h a r v e s t s i n c e , though i t shares many d e t a i l s w i th
them, i t d i f f e r s s i g n i f i c a n t l y . On the C o n t i n e n t , i t i s the
48
V i r g i n , not Jesus, who performs the m i r a c l e , v/hich o f t e n f o l l o ws
49
the angel's warning t o f l e e . I n some analogues, Mary g r e e ts
the sower p o l i t e l y ^ ^ . Sometimes she asks him t o h i d e her^''' and
i n these v e r s i o n s , Mary and Jesus do not pass on. A f t e r the
sower r e p l i e s , Mary t e l l s him t o go home f o r h i s s i c k l e and
52
f e t c h i n t h e h a r v e s t . Sometimes she t e l l s the sower what he .
53 *
must say t o h e r p u r s u e r s . When Herod's s o l d i e r s a r r i v e , they
q u e s t i o n the sower i n d e t a i l about Mary and the C h r i s t C h i l d;
54
he r e p l i e s t h a t Mary and Jesus passed as he was sowing h i s corn .
55
One guard then t u r n s t o a n o t h e r and urges r e t u r n : i t must be
some time ( u s u a l l y s p e c i f i e d ) since Mary and.Jesus passed^^.
I n . C a t a l a n , as i n E n g l i s h , the guard grumbles, 'We have achieved
57
n o t h i n g ' . I n some b a l l a d s , the massacre o f t h e Innocents
f o l l o w s the guards' r e t u r n . Some European c o r n f i e l d b a l l a d s,
59
l i k e C h i l d 55, i n c l u d e o t h e r Christmas legends • .
I n The Carnal and t h e Crane, the ang6l i s n o t mentioned and
i t i s Jesus, n o t M a r y , who g r e e t s the sower p o l i t e l y , t e l l s him
t o r e t u r n for. h i s ox and wain ( C h i l d 55 s t a . 19) and then i n s t r u c ts
him 'as t o what he must say ( s t a . 2 3 ) . Herod's i n q u i r y ( s t a . 24)
i s not g i v e n i n d i r e c t speech. As i n t h e European analogues,
i t i s a guard (here, the C a p t a i n ) who urges r e t u r n : i n the
o l d e s t broadside {XI sta. 27.1) he makes h i s r e q u e s t " t o t h e . . .
guard".
-The source of t h e o t h e r m i r a c l e s on t h e f l i g h t t o Egypt
i n The Carnal and t h e Crane i s Pseudo-Matthew; chapters X V I I ans XIX tell how the Holy Family, traveling to Egypt, wishes

t o r e s t i n a cave, from which many dragons emerge, f r i g h t e n i ng
the whole p a r t y . Jesus gets down from His mother's l a p , the
dragons adore Him and then leave. Jesus walks before them,
commanding them to h u r t no-one. He comments t h a t as He is
P e r f e c t Man, a l l the w i l d beasts of the wood w i l l grow tame
b e f o r e Him. Lions and leopards also adore Him w i t h great
reverence and accompany the p a r t y through the d e s e r t , wagging
t h e i r t a i l s . Mary i s f r i g h t e n e d , but Jesus t e l l s her not to
f e a r , since they come to do them both s e r v i c e : Mary i s comforted.
The l i o n s d i r e c t the way and do not harm the oxen and asses,
thus f u l f i l l i n g I s a i a h ' s prophecies^'^.
A s i m i l a r m i r a c l e occurs i n Pseudo-Matthew XXXV, when
Jesus i s e i g h t : near the banks of the Jordan,, a l i o n e s s and
her whelps l i v e i n a cavern, and w i l l l e t nb-one pass. Jesus
goes i n t o the cavern and the whelps run to p l a y w i t h Him,
w h i l s t the o l d e r l i o n s stand at a d i s t a n c e w i t h lowered heads,
a d o r i n g Him. People watching t h i n k Jesus must have sinned
g r i e v o u s l y to have exposed Himself to danger, but Jesus,
emerging from the cave w i t h the l i o n s , t e l l s the s p e c t a t o rs
61
(among them His p a r e n t s ) :
How much b e t t e r than you are the beasts, which
r e c o g n i z e and g l o r i f y t h e i r Lord; and ye men, who
are made i n the image and l i k e n e s s o f God, know him
n o t . Beasts acknowledge me, and grow g e n t l e ; men
see me, and know me not. ' .
Jesus crosses the Jordan w i t h the l i o n s , the. waters d i v i d i ng
t o r i g h t and l e f t , then dismisses the beasts, t e l l i n g them
to' h u r t no man.
I n the b a l l a d , Mary wishes to r e s t , as i n Pseudo-Matthew,
and Jesus' reassurance resembles His remarks i r i the apocryphal
beast legends:

'Come s i t thee down,' says Jesus, .
'Come s i t thee down by me, .
And thou s h a l t see how these w i l d beasts
. Do come and w o r s h i p me.'
V s t a . 15.
I n the b a l l a d , the l i o n i s t h e o n l y beast s p e c i f i e d and l i o n s
p l a y a prominent p a r t i n b o t h beast episodes i n Pseudo-Matthew.
The moral drawn i n t h e b a l l a d , t h a t because the l i o n appears
f i r s t , he i s made k i n g o f t h e b e a s t s , may w e l l be o r i g i n a l:
F i r s t came the l o v e l y l i on
Which Jesus's grace d i d b r i n g,
And of the w i l d beasts i n t h e f i e l d ,
The l i o n s h a l l be k i n g.
I l l sta. 16.
' B r i n g ' ends the second l i n e o f s t a n z a 16 o n l y i n I I I and X I ;
a l l other complete broadsides c o n t a i n the senseless c o r r u p t i on
' s p r i n g ' . Stanza 17 i n t h e b r o a d s i d e s i s b a d l y expressed,
and may r e f l e c t l a t e r r e v i s i o n o r even a d d i t i o n , since 'choosing'
p r i n c e s was n o t a g e n e r a l l y acceptable idea before the mid
seventeenth c e n t u r y:
W e ' l l choose our v i r t u o u s p r i n c e s,
Of b i r t h and h i g h degree.
I n every sundry n a t i o n,
Where'er we come and see.
IV s t a . 17.
The beast m i r a c l e i n Pseudo-Matthew XIX i s f o l l o w e d by the
episode o f the bowing tree (see above. Chapter Four). A f t er
t h i s , Jesus c o n s i d e r a b l y shortens the j o u r n e y and the Holy
Family a r r i v e a t an E g y p t i a n c i t y c a l l e d Sotinen i n Hermopolis,
t a k i n g s h e l t e r i n a temple c o n t a i n i n g 365 i d o l s , each honoured
on i t s own day i n t h e year . As the Holy Family e n t e r , these
i d o l s f a l l p r o s t r a t e and break, thus f u l f i l l i n g I s a i a h XIX.1.
The r u l e r o f t h e c i t y , A f f r o d o s i u s , a r r i v e s a t t h e temple w i th
an army, b u t t h e n worships Jesus, warning h i s men t h a t the i d o l s
would not have f a l l e n were He n o t God, and t h a t a l l must worship
Him or s u f f e r the f a t e of Pharaoh and h i s army, drowned i n the
Red Sea. S h o r t l y a f t e r w a r d s , an angel i n s t r u c t s Joseph t o
r e t u r n to the l a n d of Judah[63]

I n the r e w r i t t e n v e r s i o n o f The Carnal and the Crane,
l i n e s 53 - 56, we are t o l d simply t h a t when Jesus reached
Egypt, the i d o l s f e l l i n s i l e n c e because they could not w i t h s t a nd
His power. The i n c i d e n t occurs a f t e r the s l a u g h t e r o f t h e
I n n o c e n t s , but b e f o r e the m i r a c l e s o f t h e beasts and the c o r n f
i e l d , which should happen on the F l i g h t , before the Holy Family
reaches Egypt. This, then, was not the p o s i t i o n o f t h e i d o ls
episode i n t h e u r - b a l l a d , y e t i f t h e episode o r i g i n a l l y contained
a r e f e r e n c e to Pharaoh, as i n Pseudo-Matthew, i t s wrong
p o s i t i o n i n g might e x p l a i n the t r a d i t i o n i n v e r s i o n s 1 and 3
whereby Pharaoh, n o t Herod, pursues the Holy Family. Pharaoh's
64
p u r s u i t of Moses i s , of course, a s i m i l a r s t o r y , perhaps indeed
the o r i g i n a l i n s p i r a t i o n o f the legend of Herod's p u r s u i t.
A l t h o u g h no e x t a n t Middle E n g l i s h poem c o n t a i n i ng
Christmas m i r a c l e s i s t h e d i r e c t source o f C h i l d 55, the poems
are s u f f i c i e n t l y s i m i l a r i n language t o suggest that. The Carnal
and the Crane drew on t r a d i t i o n a l ways o f t e l l i n g the s t o r i es
and may have been adapted from an, e a r l i e r poem or poems now
l o s t t o u s.
The e a r l i e s t s u r v i v i n g poem on the Childhood of Jesus,
i n Laud MS. 108, b e g i n s , l i k e The Carnal and the Crane, w i th
a r e f e r e n c e t o C h r i s t ' s saving mission c o n t r a s t e d w i t h His
' . . 65
poor u p b r i n g i n g :
Ywane i h u c r i s t was i bore,
To saui t h i s w o r l d t h a t was f o r l o r e ,
I n one crachche he was i l e ld
B i f o r e Oxe and Asse; sothth i t i s s e i d .
As i n Pseudo-Matthew, an angel bids Joseph go i n t o "egypte
l o n d e " ^ ^ and they have not t r a v e l l e d long when w i l d beasts,
dragons and l i o n s come t o g r e e t Jesus, bowing t o Him i n
f u l f i l m e n t of I s a i a h ' s prophecy. The account of the f a l l i n g
i d o l s shows the same k i n d of c o n f u s i o n as in our b a l l a d : the

"temple of giwes" c o n t a i n s three hundred i d o l s f i l l e d by
demons "ywuche heroudes the k i n g honourede w i t h the giwes";
the f a l s e i d o l s f a l l when Jesus enters and•"heroudes the k i n g of
egypte l o n d " becomes f r i g h t e n e d , remembering the f a t e of
Pharaoh, drowned and doomed t o h e l l f o r h i s d i s b e l i e f . However,
67
Jesus f o r g i v e s Herod, as He f o r g i v e s a l l who are s o r ry
. T h i s Childhood poem also c o n t a i n s the corn m i r a c l e from
Pseudo-Matthew- and the I n f a n c y Gospel o f Thomas w i t h one
i m p o r t a n t d i f f e r e n c e : when Jesus casts a few oats i n t o a f i e ld
where n o t h i n g grows but w i l d grass, the f i e l d i s f i l l e d w i th
a h a r v e s t o f oats "a n o n r i g h h t " ; the people, b e w i l d e r e d , shear
the corn and take i t home to t h e i r houses^^.
The e a r l y Childhood poem uses a method of d e s c r i b i ng
c h a r a c t e r s w i t h s h o r t phrases i n a p p o s i t i o n : f o r example,
Joseph i s " t h a t olde man" and Jesus, " t h a t c h i l d , t h a t was so
y i n g " ^ ^ . This resembles the b a l l a d ' s "Mary, t h a t was so pure"
( C h i l d 55_ s t a , 13.2), but the same s t y l e i s found also i n
70
romance
M i r a c l e s of the F l i g h t to Egypt occur also i n Cursor
71
Mundi: both the a d o r a t i o n o f the beasts arid the s t o r y of
72
the f a l l i n g i d o l s (in which Pharaoh i s mentioned) resemble
Pseudo-Matthew c l o s e l y . In the c o r n f i e l d m i r a c l e from Pseudo-
Matthew , however, the h a r v e s t from the measure of wheat which
Jesus has taken from h i s mother's barn again springs up
73
i m m e d i a t e l y and i n g r e a t abundance :
a-pon the f e l d e he h i t sew
and t h a t l i k e day h i t grew
,sa t h i k t h a t wonder was to se
h i t m u l t i p l i e d to g r e t p l e n t e.
When c u t , the corn y i e l d s one hundred measures, which Jesus
g i v e s g l a d l y to a l l who l i v e near.

much c l o s e r i n language and content t o the b a l l ad
The legend of the instantaneous h a r v e s t on the F l i g h t to Egypt
74
i s mentioned so c o n c i s e l y a t the b e g i n n i n g o f each v e r s i on
as to suggest t h a t i t was well-known i n England by the e a r ly
f i f t e e n t h century: Herod has sworn t h a t he. w i l l k i l l Jesus
and hence Mary f l e e s ; she t e l l s a man that he must say that
she. passed by as they were sowing; when the Jews a r r i v e,
t h e y f i n d r i p e corn being reaped.
Mary's i n s t r u c t i o n as to e x a c t l y what the man should say
i s p a r a l l e l e d by Jesus' speech i n The Carnal and the Crane
( s t a n z a 23), but not i n the European analogues. In a d d i t i o n,
a s l i g h t v e r b a l resemblance to the b a l l a d occurs i n l i n e 22,
b e f o r e the c o r n f i e l d m i r a c l e : i n MS. H a r l . 2399 ( c o n s i s t e n t ly
c l o s e r to the b a l l a d than the o t h e r two r e d a c t i o n s ) , we are
t o l d of Mary t h a t " ( s c h e wen)d yn to E g y p ( t ) t h e r sehe was
not knowy(n)e." The b a l l a d stanza preceding the corn m i r a c le
/ . ' .. . 7 5 '.
c o n t a i n s a s i m i l a r phrase
Then Jesus, aye and Joseph,
And Mary.that was unknown,
They passed by a husbandman.
As, he h i s seed had sown.
I l l s t a . 18.
The corn m i r a c l e i s f o l l o w e d i n t h i s Childhood poem
by the a d o r a t i o n o f the beasts : the Holy:Family t r a v e l i n to
a w i l d e r n e s s , where they see l i o n s , leopards and other w i ld
b e a s t s ; Mary i s a f r a i d , but Jesus blesses the beasts and
they bow to Him, f o r which Mary thanks her Son; she then
77
hears b i r d s sing - a f e a t u r e o f two French c o r n f i e l d b a l l a ds
The i n t r o d u c t i o n t o t h i s episode i s o f a s i m i l a r s t y l e to the b a l l a d. We are t o l d of Mary [78]:
(Fyrd)ermore sche gan gone
( I n ) y l d e r n y s , t h a t was fayr of hew

Compare the b a l l a d stanza preceding the a d o r a t i o n o f t he
b e a s t s : . .
Then Jesus, and Joseph,
And Mary t h a t was so pure
They t r a v e l ! ' d i n t o AEgypt l a n d,
As you s h a l l f i n d most sure.
XI s t a . 13.
Since the n e x t episode i n t h e Childhood poem, Mary's meeting
w i t h Dismas (the good t h i e f ) i s i n t r o d u c e d by a s i m i l a r phrase,
79
"Fyrdyrmore sche went anone" , i t seems probable that
' j o u r n e y i n g ' stanzas i n t r o d u c e d by the word ' f u r t h e r ' were
p a r t o f The Carnal and the Crane a t an e a r l y stage. Such an
e x p r e s s i o n i s found i n t h e r e w r i t t e n v e r s i o n ( l i n e 6 5 ) , w h i l s t
the gypsy v e r s i o n , King Pharim, contains the f o l l o w i n g stanzas:
Joseph and Jesus and Mary
Were t r a v e l l i n g f o r t h e West,
When Mary grew a - t i r ed
She might s i t down and r e s t.
They t r a v e l l e d f u r t h e r and f u r t h e r on
The. weather being so warm,
T i l l they came unto some husbandman
A-sowing o f h i s c o r n.
3a stas. 6, 7. . . ' "• •
..The second l i n e s o f these stanzas are unique. Stanza 6.2
i s most p r o b a b l y an emendation o f t h e u s u a l rhymes i n
s t a n z a . l 4 o f the b r o a d s i d e s , 'beasts : r e s t ' (but see note 8 0 ) .
Stanza 7.2 i s p a r a l l e l e d by t a g phrases i n Middle E n g l i sh
p o e t r y , f o r example, the p r e l u d e t o the palm t r e e m i r a c l e i n
the L i f e o f S t . Anne^*^:
Mary sayd than h y r b u r d r e s t e f te
For f e b y l l h y r s t r e n g h was h y r n e r r e f t e .
The weder was than so h a t t e.
However, i t i s e x t r e m e l y u n l i k e l y t h a t a poet would have
d e l i b e r a t e l y rhymed 'warm' w i t h 'corn' b e f o r e the middle of
81
the seventeenth c e n t u r y . .
T h e . l a t e r Childhood poem also c o n t a i n s the s t o r y of t he
f a l l i n g idols[82]: Froudeus i s l o r d o f Egypt and many p i l g r i ms

come t o see h i s t h i r t y - t h r e e golden gods.. When, on Jesus'
a r r i v a l , the gods f a l l to n o t h i n g , Froudeus goes mad, but then •
remembers 'the prophecies': Pharaoh i s not mentioned. Jesus
f o r g i v e s Froudeus and a l l who approach: those who do not
are put to death 1
MS. H a r l . 2399 and MS. A d d i t . 31042 c o n t a i n another corn
m i r a c l e , d i f f e r i n g from t h a t i n Pseudo-Matthew: the Holy
Family i s i n Egypt d u r i n g a famine; Mary asks Jesus to take
p i t y on the hungry and Jesus takes a b a r l e y corn and sows i t i n
the middle of the f i e l d ; He then b i d s the p i n d a r blow h i s horn;
the people shear the corn and bind great sheaves, thanking
Jesus i n t h e i r hearts^"^.
The l a t t e r m i r a c l e appears i n the e a r l y f i f t e e n t h century
L i f e of St. Anne w i t h the d i f f e r e n c e t h a t Jesus sows three
wheat corns and three b a r l e y corns and b i d s the hayward summon
the people w i t h h i s horn:
To do t h a t h e r v e s t f a s t t h a i rane
& many a c a r t & wayne thane
F u l l of corn ham t h a i dyght.
84
Again, the people are t h a n k f ul
Some f e a t u r e s o f t h i s s t o r y recur i n the b a l l a d:
'God speed.thee, manl' says Jesus,
'Go f e t c h t h y ox and wain;
And c a r r y home thy corn again.
Which thou t h i s day hast sown.'
• . XI s t a . 19.
Jesus' g r e e t i n g i s p a r a l l e l e d i n s e c u l a r b a l l a d r y and is
p r o b a b l y riot c o n s c i o u s l y i r o n i c ^ ^ . Jesus' concern f o r the
people's needs, i m p l i c i t i n most apocryphal corn legends but
o v e r t i n the l a s t corn m i r a c l e considered, i s found i n a unique
stanza of King Pharim which seems too good to be merely a gypsy,
begging stanza. Jesus says t h a t He works the m i r a c l e f o r the
sower:

•For t o keep your w i f e and f a m i ly
From sorrow, g r i e f and pain.
And keep C h r i s t i n your remembrance, .
T i l l the time comes round again.'
3a s t a . 9.
86
The other m i r a c l e s i n the L i f e of St. Anne are as i n Pseudo- •
Matthew (an acknowledged source o f t h i s poem), but use
a p p a r e n t l y t r a d i t i o n a l p h r a s i n g : for example, the Holy Family
t r a v e l s t h r o u g h a d e s e r t , " t h a t no man suld tham knawe" and
when they enter the temple of Egypt, the f a l s e gods " F f e ll
87
down & myght noght stand" . A l i n e s i m i l a r to the l a s t quoted
may have formed p a r t o f the u r - b a l l a d , j u d g i n g by l i n e 56 of the
r e w r i t t e n v e r s i o n of The Carnal and the Crane.. A second corn
m i r a c l e i n the^ L i f e of St. Anne may have been adapted from the•
88
L a t i n I n f a n c y Gospel of Thomas .
By the f i f t e e n t h c e n t u r y , then, s e v e r a l v e r s i o n s of the
c o r n m i r a c l e were known and perhaps i n f l u e n c e d the language
used i n The Carnal and the Crane. The b a l l a d d i f f e r s from the;
l a t e r Childhood poem i n t h a t the I n f a n t Jesus performs the
m i r a c l e . Nothing i n the b a l l a d p r o h i b i t s the viev/ t h a t t h is
change was made as a r e s u l t of the Reformation, and we have seen
t h a t the b a l l a d i s d e l i b e r a t e l y c o n s t r u c t e d to. i l l u s t r a t e the
power of God the Son. However, the analogy of The Cherry Tree
C a r o l i n d i c a t e s t h a t even b e f o r e the Reformation English b a l l ad
.makers sometimes p r e f e r r e d t o s t r e s s the power of Jesus,
r a t h e r than Hi's mother. The t r a d i t i o n a l subject-matter, and
language of the b a l l a d suggest t h a t i t was composed ( o r compiled)
a t some time between the l a t e f i f t e e n t h and the l a t e s i x t e e n t h • .
c e n t u r i e s and w i t h i n t h i s p e r i o d , the f i r s t h a l f of the s i x t e e n th
c e n t u r y seems most probable, since i t was h a r d l y safe or
f a s h i o n a b l e to compose songs u s i n g C a t h o l i c . l e g e n d s i n the l a t e s i x t e e n t h c e n t u r y.


S u p p o r t i n g t h i s date t o some e x t e n t i s .the f a c t t h a t -
C h i l d 55 c o n t a i n s a number of words which, though not unusual
o r 'aureate', are l o n g e r and more ' p o l i t e • . t h a n those normallyencountered
i n t r a d i t i o n a l b a l l a d s . These words are: 'argument'
( s t a . 1.3) , 'conceiv'd' ( s t a . 4.4), 'provender' ( s t a . 7.3),
' p r i n c e l y ' ( s t a . 9.3), ' t r a v e l l ' d ' ( s t a . 18.3), ' v i r t u o u s ' or .
' r i g h t e o u s ' ( s t a . 1 7 . 1 ) , 'sundry' ( s t a . 17.3), 'husbandman'
89
( s t a . 18.3), 'redeemer o f mankind' and 'undeserving' ( s t a.
21.3, 4 ) , 'precious b l o o d ' ( s t a . 22.3), ' f u r i o u s l y ' and
' e n q u i r i n g ' ( s t a . 24.2, 3 ) , ' c a p t a i n ' ( s t a . 27.1), 'proceeded'
( s t a . 28.3) and 'lowly reverence' ( I I I s t a . 20.3). In aggregate,
these words suggest, perhaps, that a t r a d i t i o n a l b a l l a d ( or
b a l l a d s ) has been worked over by a f a s h i o n a b l e ' m i n s t r e l ' or
London p o e t , an impression confirmed by o t h e r s t y l i s t i c f e a t u r e s,
f o r example, the i r r e g u l a r i t y of metre. Some o f the stanzas
90
are w r i t t e n i n ' b a l l a d measure' ; others c o n s i s t mainly of
• 91
l i n e s of t h r e e s t r e s s e s ; stanza 24 a p p a r e n t l y uses t r o c h a ic
t e t r a m e t e r s . • . '
I n a d d i t i o n . C h i l d 55 r e l i e s on a number o f tags, most of
them v i r t u a l l y meaningless: 'and there as I d i d r e i g n ' ( s t a . 1.2)
' i f a l l t h e w o r l d should t u r n ' ^ ^ ( s t a . 2.2); 'as you s h a l l f i nd
i t sure' ( s t a . . 1 3 . 4 ) ; 'and enquire f o r me alone' ( s t a . 23.2); •
'nor do not them deny' ( s t a . 29.4).
The b a l l a d ' s a u t h o r or r e v i s e r was also c a r e l e s s i n h i s
use o f rhyme. Out o f the t h i r t y stanzas i n C h i l d 55, eleven have
93
rhymes which would always have been p e r f e c t , t h r e e have
94
rhymes which would always have been n e a r l y p e r f e c t , f o ur
95
stanzas depend f o r t h e i r rhyme on words which are i d e n t i c a l ,
96
f o u r use rhymes y/hich v/ould always have been bad , f i v e use
97
rhymes which would once have been good and two use rhymes

which would once have been o n l y s l i g h t l y imperfect
Conclusions based on end-rhymes which would once have been
p e r f e c t are a t b e s t t e n t a t i v e : some o f these end-rhymes might
99
remain acceptable i n d i a l e c t or by p o e t i c convention . In
a d d i t i o n , we know t h a t the b a l l a d maker o r r e v i s e r was a poor
rhymer and suspect that the b a l l a d ' s l i n e s and stanzas do n ot
a l l o r i g i n a t e from the same p e r i o d . Firm o r t h o e p i s t i c a l evidence
moreover, i s o f t e n a v a i l a b l e o n l y i n t h e seventeenth century.
Nevertheless,, the evidence of the end-rhymes g e n e r a l l y supports
the c o n c l u s i o n a l r e a d y suggested by the b a l l a d ' s s t y l e and
theme, namely t h a t the broadside v e r s i o n o f C h i l d 55 dates
m a i n l y from the s i x t e e n t h c e n t u r y . Since King Pharim ( v e r s i o n 3a
has emended s e v e r a l rhymes v/hich would have become a r c h a i c only
i n the e a r l y e i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r y , i t would seem t o be an
e i g h t e e n t h century r e d a c t i o n.
The rhyming o f 'place' w i t h 'ass' ( C h i l d 55 s t a . 3) would
be p o s s i b l e i n l a t e Middle E n g l i s h and p e r s i s t u n t i l about 1700,
since 'place.' seems t o have had a Middle English v a r i a n t i n
'Appear' and 'were' ( s t a . 8) b o t h had v a r i a n t s i n Middle
E n g l i s h ^ , and would probably have rhymed a t any time from
the l a t e f i f t e e n t h century to the l a t e seventeenth century''"^"'".
102
The poet Cowley uses t h i s rhyme
'High' and 'destroy' ( s t a . 9) would probably have rhymed
on [ai] f r o m the l a t e f i f t e e n t h century u n t i l the e a r l y
e i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r y (perhaps,.at t h i s date, by p o e t i c c o n v e n t i o n ).
T h i s p r o n u n c i a t i o n o f 'high' ( w i t h [ai] and w i t h o u t the s p i r a n t )
i s recorded, p a r t i c u l a r l y by London o r t h o e p i s t s , from 1542
onwards. 'Destroy', sometimes s p e l t 'destrye' i n Middle
E n g l i s h , had v a r i a n t s based on both M i d d l e . E n g l i s h ' o i ' and

and Middle English ' u i ' . The l a t t e r v a r i a n t would have become
[ s i ] i n some d i a l e c t s perhaps as e a r l y as the f i f t e e n t h century.
Rhymes o f t h i s type are recorded i n Standard English i n the
l a t e s i x t e e n t h c e n t u r y (Marlowe and Spenser), though they are .
103
commoner i n t h e seventeenth century : Vaughan rhymes 'buy'
w i t h 'destroy' . .
'Beasts' and ' r e s t ' ( s t a . 14) would have rhymed i n
Middle E n g l i s h and ceased t o rhyme perhaps i n t h e l a te
seventeenth century. 'Beast', a word o f French o r i g i n , had
a v a r i a n t i n M i d d l e E n g l i s h £ . The ' t ' was o f t e n l o s t from
such endings i n t h e seventeenth century and probably e a r l i e r " ^ ^ ^.
.'Sure' and 'more' ( s t a . 22) might simply be a bad rhyme,
but t h e r e i s some evidence t h a t a l o w e r i n g of Middle English
Q to 0 b e f o r e ' r ' i n words such as 'more' took place between
the e a r l y s i x t e e n t h and the mid-seventeenth c e n t u r i e s i n
London speech
'By' and ' f u r i o u s l y ' ( s t a . 24) would have rhymed on Cai3
a t l e a s t since the e a r l y s i x t e e n t h c e n t u r y . This p r o n u n c i a t i on
f o r words ending i n ' - l y ' was p a r t i c u l a r l y common i n p o e t r y
o f the s i x t e e n t h and e a r l y seventeenth c e n t u r i e s according to
107
the o r t h o e p i s t s . However, t h i s rhyme cannot p r o v i d e f i rm
evidence of d a t e , since a s i m i l a r p r o n u n c i a t i o n i s allowed
4t- o d a y i• n p o p u l-,a r songs1 08
Stanza 23.2 may w e l l be c o r r u p t as 'enquire f o r me alone'
does n o t make good sense. The rhyme, o f '-one' w i t h '-ov/n' was
j u s t p o s s i b l e i n t h e l a t e s i x t e e n t h , c e n t u r y , but was n o t
109
f a v o u r e d by poets u n t i l the seventeenth century
110
The use o f d r a m a t i c dialogue and p a r a l l e l stanzas
I n d i c a t e s t h a t The Carnal and the Crane i s i n d e e d a b a l l a d , even
i f u n t y p i c a l . I t c o n t a i n s , f o r example, a t l e a s t three b a l l ad

commonplaces: on Herod's speeches i n stanzas 10 and 12, see
above, Chapter Three, notes 77 and 78. With.Jesus' reassurance
t o His mother i n s t a n z a 15, compare C h i l d 252 B, stanza 4:
'Come s i t ye down by me,. W i l l i e ,
. Come s i t - ye down by me;
There's nae a l o r d i n a' the n o r t h
That I can l o v e b u t t h e e .'
The l e n g t h o f The Carnal and t h e Crane, w i t h i t s r e l a t i v e
s t a b i l i t y o f t e x t i n t h e broadsides but easy f r a g m e n t a t i o n i n
o r a l t r a d i t i o n , suggests t h a t i t has s u r v i v e d mainly through
p r i n t or t h r o u g h a manuscript t r a d i t i o n . Despite i t s i n e pt
rhyme and s l i g h t l y a r t i f i c i a l d i c t i o n , the b a l l a d i s a t t r a c t i v e
i n i t s i n n o c e n t p i e t y , e x e m p l i f i e d i n t h e naive questions o f
the c a r n a l . The c h a r a c t e r o f the C h r i s t C h i l d i:: c h e e r f u l and
generous, the m i r a c l e s t o r i e s are i n t e r e s t i n g and i n g e n i o us
and the b a l l a d e x h i b i t s a v i t a l sense o f h u m o u r a t stanzas 11
and 27,,where the cock s p r i n g s suddenly t o l i f e and the Captain
o f the Guard forms h i s erroneous c o n c l u s i o n s.

NOTES TO CHAPTER FIVE
1. W. Boase, The F o l k l o r e of Hampshire and the I s l e of Wight (Batsford
• F o l k l o r e of the B r i t i s h I s l e s ' S e r i e s ) , London, 1976, p.129.
2. Birmingham Public L i b r a r y no. 60338 (LF 10 0 9 ) , 'Christmas Carols',
a t p.85; the poem i s p r i n t e d on pp.5-8 of the chapbook; on the
p r i n t e r Susanna Martin, see the Alphabetical Index of Broadside
P r i n t e r s , below, Appendix K.
3. Compare these l i n e s r e s p e c t i v e l y with Child 55.sta. 9.1; sta. 11.1;
s t a . 12.3-4; s t a . 14,3-4; s t a . 14.2, 4 (rhyme scheme 'beasts' and
' r e s t ' ) ; sta. 18.3-4; s t a . 30.3-4. Line 51 suggests that the
r e w r i t t e n version may be derived from a broadside such as 5^ or I I I
( c f . I l l s t a . 3.3).
4. Tischendorf, Evangelia Apocrypha, p.86, note 1: MSS. A, E,
Pseudo-Matthew XIX.1. i
5. Bronson, Trad. Tunes, I I , p.15: the tunes to v e r s i o n s 1 and 2 are
v a r i a n t s of a tune i n the 'Goddesses' family to which many other
West Midlands c a r o l s are sung. See a l s o Bronson, B a l l a d as Song,
pp.107-111.
6. 3a s t a . 3.3-4: "Whether a b l e s s e d V i r g i n Mary.
Sprung from an Holy Ghost".
These l i n e s are h e r e t i c a l only by accident and derive from the usual
reading of C h i l d 55, s t a . 4.3-4. See a l s o belov/, notes 22 and 23.
7. Hone, Anc. Mysteries Described, p.93.
8. A Compendious Book of Godly and S p i r i t u a l Songs Commonly Known as
'The Gude and Godlie B a l l a t i s ' (reprinted from the e d i t i o n of 1567),
ed. A.F. M i t c h e l l (S.T.S., 1st S e r i e s , 39), Edinburgh, 1897, p.168
and see note, p.278.
9. Cf. C h i l d 59 A s t a . 28.1; 231 D s t a . 3.1; 232 A s t a . 2.1;
c f . a l s o the opening of the f o l k song 'The Bold Fisherman', perhaps
i n o r i g i n a r e l i g i o u s a l l e g o r y : Broadwood, J.F.S.S., V, no.18 (1914),
pp.132-133.
10. Cf. 'King Edward and the Shepherd' (written i n a f i f t e e n t h century MS.),
l i n e s 13-15 i n French and Hale, M.E. Metrical Romances, p.951; also
Lybeaus Desconus, ed. M. M i l l s , (E.E.T.S., O.S. 261), London, New York
and Toronto, 1969, p.153, l i n e s 1281 - 1282 (Lambeth Palace MS. 306).
'Lybeaus Desconus' was composed, probably by Thomas Chestre, i n the
second h a l f of the fourteenth century: see B l i s s ' s summary on
pp.13-15 of Chestre, S i r L a u n f a l ; Severs and Hartung, Manual, I , 13,
date the romance s l i g h t l y e a r l i e r.
Cf. The Poems of William Dunbar, ed. J . K i n s l e y , Oxford, 1979, pp.60-63,
'The Merle and the N y c h t i n g a l l ' : the conversation according to l i n e 9,
takes place by a r i v e r s i d e ; cf. a l s o Greene nos. 370 and 378, s t a . 1;
C h i l d , m, sta. 1. '
11,
12. e.g. C h i l d 4, 26, 68, 82, 96, 270.
• ' .
13. O.E.D., I I , p.123, 'carnal', sb.

14. See Anne G. G i l c h r i s t ' s note, J.F.S.S., IV, no.14 (1910), p.25.
15. Cf, the S c o t t i s h v e r s i o n of the 'Corpus C h r i s t i Carol',
Green, no. 322 D,- l i n e s 1 - 4.
16. Two Coventry Corpus C h r i s t i Plays, I , pp.12-16, l i n e s 332 - 474 and
I I , pp.33-39, l i n e s 1 - 176; see a l s o above, Chapter 3, notes 41 and 42.
17. Two Coventry Corpus C h r i s t i Plays, I , p.16, l i n e s 455 - 463.
18. Pseudo-Matthew XIV (Tischendorf, Evangelia Apocrypha, p.80 and
Cowper, Apoc. Gospels, pp.53-54): the ox and the ass- adore Jesus
i n f u l f i l m e n t of I s a i a h 1.3 and Habakkuk I I I . 2 (Greek v e r s i o n ).
19. Greene, nos.45 s t a . 2.3; 59.1 s t a . 3.2; 60 s t a . 1.2; 151 A s t a . 4.3;
see also' Cursor Mundi, I I , pp.646-647, l i n e s 11269 - 11272.
20. Von Dietz-Riidiger Moser, 'Die Saat im Acker der Gerechten Zur Vorgeschichfe
und Sinndeutung der Kornfeldlegende' i n O s t e r r e i c h i s c h e Z e i t s c h r i f t Fur
Volkskunde, LXXVII, New S e r i e s 28 (1974), pp.131-142, on p.140.
21. E.S.P.B. , I I , p.7.
22. N.C.E., V I I , pp.378-381, 'Immaculate Conception'; see a l s o H.F. Davis,
'The Origins of Devotion to Our Lady's Immaculate Conception' in
The Dublin Review,'CCXXVIII, no.465 (1954), pp.375-392 and S.J. D i j k,
'The O r i g i n s of the F e a s t of the Immaculate Conception', i b i d .,
pp.251-267 and (no.466) pp.428-442.
23. - O.E.D. , I I , p.757, 'conceive', sense 1.3; M.E.D., I I , p.481,
'conceiven', sense 1 ( b ) .
24. Moser, O s t e r r e i c h i s c h e Z e i t s c h r i f t , LXXVII, p.133 and footnote 15.
25. Ibid. , p.133, footnotes 16 and 17; E.S.P.B. , I I , pp.7-8.
26. Moser, O s t e r r e i c h i s c h e Z e i t s c h r i f t , LXXVII, pp.136-138 and footnotes
25 - 27; see a l s o Hennecke and Schneemelcher, N.T. Apoc., I I , pp.397,
576.
27. Moser, O s t e r r e i c h i s c h e Z e i b s c h r i f t , LXXVII, pp.140-141.
28. Ibid., p.142.
29. e.g. i n the V e r c e l l i Acts of Peter X I I I (found i n a seventh century MS.),
Peter r e s t o r e s a d r i e d f i s h to l i f e : Hennecke and Schneemelcher,
N.T. Apoc., I I , p.295; the C h r i s t Child performs t h i s miracle i n the Latin
Infancy Gospel of Thomas (on the h i s t o r y of which, see below, notes
38 - 41).: Tischendorf, Evangelia Apocrypha, p.93, note 1; James,
Apoc. N.T., p.300.
30. Ibid., pp.337, 474, 475 (on the f a n t a s t i c and luxurious use of
m i r a c l e i n the l a t e r Acts of the A p o s t l e s ).
31. Matt. X I I I , 3-23; Mk. IV.3-20; Lk. V I I I . 4 - 1 5.
32. Mk^ IV.26-29; • Lk.X.2; Jn.IV.34-38. C h r i s t ' s saying i n Jn.IV.37,
'And h e r e i n i s t h a t saying true. One soweth and another reapeth',
may have i n s p i r e d the d e t a i l of the a p o s t l e s ' labours i n the Acta
P e t r i et Andreae.

33. Matt.. X I I I . 2 4 - 3 0 , 36-43, e s p e c i a l l y verse 37: 'He answered and s a id
unto them. He that soweth the good seed i s the Son of Man.' •
34. Matt. XIV.13-21, XV.32-38; Mk. VI.33-34, V I I I . 1 - 9 ; Lk. IX.10-17;
Jn. VI.1-13.
35,. Matt. X I I . 1 - 8 ; Mk.II.23-28; Lk. VI.1-5.
36. Hennecke and Schneemelcher, N.T. A p o c , I , pp.95, 97
( B r i t i s h Museum Papyrus Egerton 2 ) .
37. See a l s o E.S.P.B., I I , p.7.
38. Hennecke and Schneemelcher, N.T. Apoc. I , p.391.
39. Tischendorf, Evangelia Apocrypha, pp.140-180; English t r a n s l a t i o ns
i n James, Apoc. N.T., pp.49-70.
40. W. Wright, Contributions to the Apocryphal L i t e r a t u r e of the New
Testament, C o l l e c t e d and E d i t e d from S y r i a c Manuscripts i n the B r i t i s h
Museum, London, 1865, document I I , p.6f; see a l s o Hennecke and
Schneemelcher, N.T. Apoc., I , p.389.
41. I b i d . , pp.391-2.
42. Wright, Contributions, pp.9-10, chapter X I I .
43. Greek Infancy Gospel of Thomas A, chapter X I I : Tischendorf,
E v a n g e l i a Apocrypha, pp.151-152; James, Apoc. N.T., p.52.
44. Tischendorf, E v a n g e l i a Apocrypha, p.175; James, Apoc. N.T., p.63.
( L a t i n Infancy Gospel o f Thomas, chapter X ) .
45. Tischendorf, Evangelia Apocrypha, p.104; Cowper, Apoc. Gospels,
pp.75-76.
46. Tischendorf, Evangelia Apocrypha, p.164; James, Apoc. N.T., p.58.
The d e t a i l of the f i e l d ' s y i e l d i n g as many measures as Jesus has taken
g r a i n s occurs i n Tischendorf's 'Codex B', Evangelia Apocrypha, p.164, '
note 2.
47. Quotation and t r a n s l a t i o n of Antoninus' account from Cowper,
Apoc. Gospels, p.164.
48.
49.
C o n t i n e n t a l b a l l a d s of the c o r n f i e l d w i l l be r e f e r r e d to by language:
C a t a l a n : Arbaud, Chants Populaires, I I , pp.242-244 (25 long l i n e s,
with French t r a n s l a t i o n ) ; Provenijal A and B, i b i d . , I , pp.33-36
(23 s t a s . ) and I I , pp.235-240 (46 s t a s . ) , r e s p e c t i v e l y ; French A - E
i n M i l l i e n , L i t t e r a t u r e Orale, I , pp.4-8, ( 9, 7, 7, 8, 1 s t a s.
r e s p e c t i v e l y ) ; French F i n J . Daymard, Vieux Chants Populaires
r e c u e i l l i s en Quercy, Cahors, 1889, p. 333 (5 s t a s . . ) ; Swedish i n D.g.F.,
I I I , pp.882-883 (11 s t a s . , summarised above. Chapter Three, p.52);
S e r b i a n i n Moser, O s t e r r e i c h i s c h e Z e i t s c h r i f t , LXXVII, pp.134-135
(15 s t a s . i n German t r a n s l a t i o n ) ; Karelian F i n n i s h , i b i d . , p.140
(German t r a n s l a t i o n of 9 opening l i n e s ).
Provencal B, s t a . 1; French D, E, F, s t a . l ; Swedish s t a s . 5 and 6.
50. French A, B, C, sta.2.1; Karelian F i n n i s h , l i n e 6.

51. Catalan l i n e s 7 - 10; Provencal A, sta.10.2, B, sta.8; French A and. B,
s t a . 2.2.-.
52. Catalan l i n e 12; Provencal B, sta.10; French A, B, C, s t a . 3;
Serbian, sta.4; cf. Swedish, s t a . 8 ; Virgin t e l l s sower to fetch people.
53,
54.
55.
56.
Swedish, s t a . 6 : 'Say you saw no-one'; Serbian, sta.7: 'Do not keep
s i l e n c e about me, do not betray me.'; only i n C h i l d 55, sta.23 i s
the sower jgiven exact i n s t r u c t i o n s.
C a t a l a n l i n e s 1 8 - 2 1 ; Provencal A, s t a s . 21, 22 and B, s t a s . 18, 19;
French A, B, D, s t a s . 5 and 6, C, sta.5; Serbian, s t a s . 10, 11.
Catalan l i n e 22; Provencal B, sta.20; French B, sta.6.3.
A year: Provencal A, sta.23, B, sta.20; French A, sta.7, B, sta.6.4,
C, s t a . 6 . Twelve weeks: Serbian, sta.12.
57. Catalan, l i n e s 24 - 25; Child 55, sta.27.2.
58. French D, sta.8, F, s t a . 5 ; Serbian, s t a s . 14, 15.
59. Provencal B, s t a s . 21 - 46: miracle of bov/ing tree, meeting with good
t h i e f ; French F, s t a . 5 : Herod's own son i s s l a i n among the Innocents;
Swedish, s t a s . 1 - 4 : miracle of the cock.
60. Tischendorf, Evangelia Apocrypha, pp.85-87; Cpwper, Apoc. Gospels,
pp.57-58; Isaiah XI.6-9, LXV.25.
61. Pseudo-Matthew XXXV-XXXVI: Tischendorf, Evangelia Apocrypha, pp.104-105;
Cowper, Apoc. Gospels, pp.76-77 (quotation, p.77).
62. Pseudo-Matthew XXII: Tischendorf, Evangelia Apocrypha, pp.89-90;
Cdwper, Apoc. Gospels, pp.61-62.
63. Ibid. , pp.63-64; Tischendorf, Evangelia Apocrypha, pp.91-93
(Pseudo-Matthew.XXIII-XXV).
64. Exodus XIV.
65
66.
Horstmann, A l t e n g l i s c h e Legenden, 1875, p.3, l i n e s 11-14; for
information regarding t h i s poem, see above. Chapter Four, notes 18 and 19.
Horstmann, A l t e n g l i s c h e Legenden, 1875, p.4, l i n e 46; the adoration
of the beasts occurs on pp.4-5, l i n e s 55-88.
67. I b i d . , pp.9-12, l i n e s 209-300; the f i r s t two quotations come from the
prose heading before l i n e 209 (p.9), the t h i r d from the prose heading
before l i n e 259 (p.11).
68. Ibid., p.34, l i n e s 985-995; the quoted word comes from the preceding
prose heading.
69. I b i d . , p.7, l i n e s 145 and 153.
70. Cf. the fourteenth century 'Emare' i n M. M i l l s ed.. S i x Middle
E n g l i s h Romances, N.J., 1973, l i n e s 305-306, 478 and 892, pp.54,
59, 70.
71. . Cursor Muridi', . I I , pp.666-669, l i n e s 11601-11656.

72. Ibid., pp.674-7, l i n e s 11744-11796.
73. Ibid., pp.706-709, l i n e s 12323-12332; quotation from F a i r f a x MS.,
l i n e s 12325-12328.
74. Horstmann, Archiv, LXXIV ( B r i t . Mus. Addit. MS. 31042), p.327,
l i n e s 17 - 28; Horstmann, Sammlung A l t e n g l i s c h e r Legenden, 1878, p . I l l,
l i n e s 17 - 26 ( B r i t . Mus., MS. Harl. 2399 has some lacunae at t h i s point)
and i b i d . , p.101, l i n e s 17 - 28 (MS. Harl. 3954), see a l s o above.
Chapter Four, note 32.
75. Cf. C.T.C. 14 s t a . 7.1, "Now Mary went to Bethlehem, to a place she
was not known."
76. Horstmann, Archiv, LXXIV, p.327, l i n e s 29 - 40; Horstmann,
Sammlung A l t e n g l i s c h e r Legenden, 1878, pp.111-112, l i n e s 27-40
and p.101, l i n e s 29 - 40.
77. French D, F, s t a . 3 (a n i g h t i n g a l e ) ; small birds .are mentioned a l s o in
C a t a l a n , l i n e 3. For the sources of these texts,, see above, note 48.
(The incident may be derived from an apocryphal work such as Vogtlin,
V i t a Rhythmica, p.82, l i n e s 2282-2291.)
78. Sammlung A l t e n g l i s c h e r Legenden, 1878, p . I l l , l i n e s 27-28
(MS. H a r l . 2399).
79. Ibid. , p.112, l i n e 41.
80. Life of S t . Anne (Minnesota MS.), p.39, l i n e s 1492 - 1494; (see above,
Chapter Four, note 39); £f. S i r L a u n f a l , p.59, i n which the hero,
r i d i n g "toward the west" ( l i n e 219) r e s t s under a tree because
"the wether was hot, the vndern-tyde" ( l i n e 220).
81. See H.C. VJyld, Studies i n E n g l i s h Rhymes from Surrey to Pope, London,
1923, pp.13, 67-70. Rounding of the vowel i n 'warm' i s f i r st
recorded i n 1640: see E . J . Dobson, English Pronunciabion 1500-1700,
2 v o l s . , 2nd ed. Oxford, 1968, I I , para.49, p.525. Conver:jely,
lowering of M.E. 5 to a. i n 'corn' occurred e a r l i e r in the d i a l e c t of
the West Midlands but did not penetrate standard and London rjpeech t i ll
the seventeenth century: see T. SSderholm, The End-Rhymes of Marvel1,
Cowley, Crashaw, Lovelace and Vaughan (Acta Academia Aboensis, S e r i e s A,
XXXIX, no.2), Abo, 1970, pp.44, 136, 166 and Wyld, Studies i n E n g l i sh
Rhymes, pp.71-72.
82. Horstmann, Archiv, LXXIV, p.329, l i n e s 125-147; Horstmann, Sammlung
. A l t e n g l i s c h e r Legenden, 1878, p.113, l i n e s 125-148 and p.103,
l i n e s 121 - 128.
83. Ibid., p.118, l i n e s 497 - 508; Horstmann, Archiv, LXXIV, p.335,
l i n e s 572 - 584.
84. Life of S t . Anne (Minnesota MS.), pp.68-69, l i n e s 2614 - 2652;
quotation from p.69, lines 2647 - 2649. .
85. Cf. C h i l d 29 sta.4.1; William Tyndale, The New Testament, Worms, 1526,
f a c s i m i l e reproduction, London, 1976, t r a n s l a t e s Matt. XXVIII.9 as
" l e s u s mett them sayinge, 'God spede you'," where the A.V. has
" A l l h a i l ".

86. Life of St. Anne.(Minnesota MS), p.38, lines. 1441 - 1488 (adoration
of the beasts) and pp.44-45, lines 1668 - 1722. ( f a l l i n g idols).
87. Ibid. , p.37, line 1419 and p.44, line 1683. .
88. Ibid., pp.49-50, lines 1885 - 1908.
89. 'Undeserving' i s the only word i n the ballad apparently not so
used before the sixteenth century: see O.E.Di, X, P t . I , p.156, . .
'undeserving', sense 1, where the f i r s t recorded usage i n t h is
sense i s i n Coverdale's translation of Erasmus' Paraphrases
(Jas. i i . 30b) i n 1549.
90. See Child 55 stas. 1, 2, 10^12, 14, 15, 19, 20,-22, 23, 27;
perhaps also 9, 21.
91. See Child 55 stas.4 - 8, 13, 16 - 18, 25, 26, 28 - 30; perhaps also 3.
92. I l l sta.2.2, "Sure a l l the world w i l l turn"; the line might be
emended to "Sure a l l the world was done", ( i . e . 'finished' or j
'destroyed' u n t i l God the Son came to save us ).. For this meaning of
"done", see O.E.D. I l l , p.562, 'Do', vb., sense A8; M.E.D., I I , p.1226,
'Don', sense 2b. 'Done' i s rhymed with 'son' by Marvell, Cowley,
Crashaw and Vaughan: Soderholm, End-Rhymes, p.107; possibly this v;as
a good rhyme i n many dialects in the sixteenth century: Dobson,
English Pronunciation 1500 - 1700, I , p.23.
93. Sta. 1, r e i ( g ) n ; crane ('ran': 'cran'); sta. 10, me: three;
sta. 11, hand: stand; sta. 13, pure; sure; sta. 16, bring: king;
sta. 17, degree: see; stas. 18 and 25, (un)known: sown; sta. 26,
wain: again; sta. 28, hand: land; sta. 29, die: deny. On sta. 23,
alone: sow(n), see below (note 109).
94. Sta. 3, goest: Ghost; sta. 5,. s i n : king; sta. 21, called: a l l ..
Carelessness about word endings i s a feature of t h i s poet's style,
but sta. 5 exhibits a habit of speech widespread from the sixteenth
to the eighteenth centuries: Wyld, Studies i n English Rhymes,
pp.23, 30, 112-113.
95. Stas. 6 and 7, in.: i n ; sta. 12, be: be; sta. 15, me: me.
96. Sta. 2, turn: Son (but see note 92); sta. 19, wain: sown (this
stanza might o r i g i n a l l y have rhymed wain: again, as sta. 26);
.sta. 27, vain: sown; sta. 30, shown: Son.
. 97. Sta. 3, place: ass; sta. 8, appear: were; sta. 9,, high: destroy;
sta. 22, sure: more; sta. 27, furiously: by. .
98. Sta. 14, beasts: rest; sta. 20, face: last (but.cf. I l l sta. 20,
face:. grace).
99. Wyld, Studies i n English Rhymes, pp.11, 28 - 30.
100. Dobson., English Pronunciation 1500 - 1700, I I , para. 6, p.467;
place: ass occurs as a rhyme i n the York Plays, XXV, lines 25 and 27,
p.202; .see also Soderholm, End-Rhymes, p.123.
101. Dobson, English Pronunciation, 1500 - 1700, I I , para.126, p.643 and
see note 4, p.645, and para.4, p.461.

102. SSderholm, End-Rhymes, pp.69, 97; Wyld, Studies i n English Rhymes,
pp.66-67.
103. Dobson, English Pronunciation, 1500 - 1700, I I , para. 142, p.670;
para.255, pp.813 - 815 (and notes 1 and 3); para.262, p.825 (and
notes 2 and 3).
104. SSderholm, End-Rhymes, pp.73 - 74; Wyld, Studies i n English Rhymes,
pp.22, 30, 73 - 75.
105. Dobson,, English Pronunciation, 1500 - 1700, I , pp.112, 354; I I , para. 8,
pp.473-474; para. 398, p.961; para. 406, p.968; see also SSderholm,
End-Rhyme8, p.99 (Cowley) and Wyld, Studies i n English Rhymes,
pp.59, 98.
106. Dobson, English Pronunciation, 1500 - 1700, I I , para. 149, p.675;
para. 207, note 2, para. 208, p.738; para. 188, pp.711-712. .
107. Ibid. , I I , para, 275, pp.842-844; para, 137, p.659; para. 4, p.451.
On the medieval t r a d i t i o n of Herod's "fury", see above, Chapter Three,
note 43.
108. As a c h i l d , I was taught to sing the r e f r a i n of the shan'ty, "What
shall we do with the drunken s a i l o r , early i n the morning" and to
pronounce 'early' to rhyme with 'try'.
109. Wyld, Studies i n English Rhymes, p.127 (Cowley, Dryden); Soderhoim,
End-Rhymes, pp.68, 96, 129 (Cowley, Marvell); Dobson, English
Pronunciation, 1500 - 1700, I , p.108 and I I , para. 250, pp.807-8,
shows that Laneham (1575) and Bulloker (1580 - 1586) used M.E. ^ in
words such as 'known', 'sown' and also 'alone'.
110. Cf. Child 55 stas. 10, 22, 25 and 30; stas. 11 and 29; stas. 13 and 18.

__________________

APPENDIX B
VARIANTS OF 'THE CARNAL AND THE CRANE' (CHILD 55)

Key t o the D e s c r i p t i o n of Texts

A: The n a r r a t o r overhears a conversation between a carnal and a crane.
Dialogue between the Carnal and the Crane:
B: The carnal says that now they have God the Son.
B l : God the Son was born between an ox and an ass.
B2: The carnal asks i f Jesus' mother conceived.by the Holy Ghost.
B3: The V i r g i n was clean from s i n , the handmaid of the Lord.
B4: The carnal asks i f Christ was rocked i n a golden cradle and
wrapped i n s i l k e n sheets.
B5: Christ was rocked i n a manger and l a y upon asses' provender.
The Miracle of the Cock:
C: A s t a r shone i n t o King Herod's chamber.
CI: Wise men announce.the b i r t h of a prince to Herod.
C2: Herod r e p l i e s that i f t h i s i s t r u e , a roasted cock w i l l crow
three times.
C3: The cock grows feathers and crows three times.
C4: Herod orders h i s men t o k i l l a l l children under two years o l d .
The Adoration of the Beasts:
D: Jesus, Joseph and Mary 'so pure' t r a v e l to Egypt.
Dl: Mary i s o b l i g e d t o r e s t , amongst f i e r c e beasts.
D2: Jesus t e l l s Mary that the beasts w i l l worship Him.
D3: The l i o n i s f i r s t to worship Jesus.
D4: Princes must be v i r t u o u s and o f good b i r t h.
The Miracle of the Instantaneous Harvest:
E: Jesus, Joseph and Mary 'unknown' pass a husbandman sowing seed.
E l : Jesus bids the husbandman f e t c h ox and wain and gather i n the
ripened corn.
f : The husbandman f a l l s on h i s knees before Jesus' face
(usually two l i n e s ) .
g: The husbandman says t h a t Christ has long been expected (two l i n e s ).

g l : The husbandman confesses Jesus' name (two l i n e s ).
g2: The husbandman says that Jesus i s the Redeemer of mankind
(two l i n e s ).
g3: No-one can doubt that Jesus i s the true Messiah (two l i n e s ).
H: Jesus says that He must shed His blood f o r thousands.
J: Jesus bids the husbandman t e l l inquirers that He passed as the
corn was sown.
K: King Herod and h i s guards a r r i v e and make i n q u i r i e s.
L: The husbandman answers as i n s t r u c t e d.
L I : He points out t h a t the ripened corn i s now l y i n g i n h i s wain.
M: Herod's captain urges r e t u r n , since t h e i r labour i s i n vain.
N: Thus Herod was deceived by God's own hand.
P: Thousands of young children died f o r Christ's sake.
Q: The story of how the V i r g i n brought f o r t h God the Son
has now been t o l d.
A d d i t i o n a l Stanzas from 'King Pharim':
R: As Pharim (Pharaoh) sat musing, Our Saviour came to him
" a l l to him unknown"'(cf. stanza E).
Rl: To Pharim's question, Jesus r e p l i e s that He came from Egypt, between
an ox and ass ( c f . stanza B l ) .
R2: Pharaoh wishes to know whether the Blessed V i r g i n Mary "sprung from"
the Holy Ghost ( c f . stanza B2).
R3: The Holy Family t r a v e l f o r the West, and Mary may rest where she
wishes ( c f . stanzas D and D l ) .
R4: As the weather i s warm, the Holy Family t r a v e l f u r t h e r and meet a
husbandman sowing corn ( c f . stanza E).
R5: The miracle of the ripened corn w i l l keep the husbandman's family
from g r i e f and keep Christ i n t h e i r remembrance.
-------------

(a) BROADSIDE TEXTS OF 'THE CARNAL AND THE CRANE'
I . COWPER (Child 55.c.)
'C.C. '
Source; Cowper, Apoc. Gospels, p p . x l i - x l i v , from a
chapbook p r i n t e d i n or about 1843 at
Birmingham; cf. C.C. V I I .

Date:
Description o f t e x t :
c. 1843.
Cowper ( p . x l i ) states tha:t the piece has
30 stas., but p r i n t s only 19, i . e . stas. 8-20
and 25-30, C - CI - C2 - C3 - C4 - D - Dl - D2
- D 3 - D 4 - E - E l - f , g . . . J - K - L - L l -
M - N.
I I . HONE
('A Warwickshire carol s t i l l sung")
Source:
Date;
Hone, Anc. Mysteries Described, p.93;
on p.97, Hone includes the f i r s t l i n e i n the
l i s t of 'Christmas carols now annually
r e p r i n t e d ' i n h i s own possession.
(1823).
Description o f t e x t : One stanza. A, only.
I I I . HUSK (Child 55.b.)
.'C.C. '
Source:
Date:
Description of t e x t ;
Husk, N a t i v i t y , pp.98-103; Husk gives no
s p e c i f i c source f o r the cairol, but states
(pp.97-98) t h a t he has met no copies e a r l i er
than the mid eighteenth century and t h a t the
oldest broadsides known were p r i n t e d at
Worcester; textual evidence (see above.
Chapter Five) supports the idea that C.C. I l l
i s an eighteenth century Worcestershire version.
(1868); see above.
30 stas,, A - B - B l - B2 - B3 - B4 - B5 - C -
CI - C2 - C3 - C4 - D - Dl - D2 - 03 - D4 - E
- E l - F (4 l i n e s ) - g , g l - H - J - K - L -
L l - M - N - P - Q .
IVa and b.
'C.C.'
Source;
SANDYS (Child 55.a.)
i n Sandys, Christmas Carols, pp.152-157,
"from a popular broadside c a r o l " (p.186,
note);
i n Sandys, Christmastide, pp.246-251, f or
which no source i s given; an almost
i d e n t i c a l t e x t i s given without a source
i n Bullen, Carols and Poems, pp.49-54
(see E.S.P.B., I I , p.509).

Date:
Description of t e x t :
(1833).
'a' and 'b' are i d e n t i c a l save f o r two words;
30 stas., A - B - B l - B2 - B3 - B4 - B5 - C
- CI - C2 - C3 - C4 - D - Dl - D2 - D3 - D4 -
E - E l - f , g - g l , g2 - H - J - K - L - L I -
M - N - P - Q.
V. SYLVESTER
'C.C.'
Source:
Date:
Description of t e x t:
Sylvester, Garland, pp.22-28 (ultimate source
not given).
(1861).
30 stas., ordered as C.C. IV.
V I . BIRMINGHAM - BLOOMER
•C.C.'
Location of Broadside: Oxford Bodl. Lib. Douce Adds. 137 no.17.
I m p r i n t:
Date:
"Printed and s o l d by T. Bloomer,
53,Edgbaston-street, Birmingham."
1821-1827.
Description of t e x t : Stanza d i v i s i o n s are not marked but the t e xt
comprises 30 stas., ordered as CC. IV.
V I I . BIRMINGHAM - JACKSON (Chapbook)
'Carnal and Crane'
T i t l e of Chapbook: A New Carol Book No.3' (C.C. a t pp.63-66)
Location of Chapbook: Birmingham Lib. 63240. .
I m p r i n t:
( f r o n t page)
Date:
"BIRMINGHAM: Printed and Sold by Jackson & Son
( l a t e J. Russell,) 21 Moor-street."
c.1839 - C.1848.
Description of t e x t : 30 stas., A - B - B l - B2 - B3 - B4 - B5 - C
_ CI - C2 - C3 - C4 - D - Dl - D2 - D3 - D4 -
E - E l - f , g - g l , g 2 - H - P - Q - J - K - L
- L I - M - N; cf. C.C. I and IX.

V i l l a and b. BIRMINGHAM - WOOD
'C.C.'
Location of Broadside
I m p r i n t:
Date:
Description of t e x t :
'a' a t Birmingham Lib. 60338, p.17;
'b' a t Birmingham Lib. Religious Broadsides
no.10.
'a' has "Wood, P r i n t e r , New Meeting-street";
'b' has "Wood, P r i n t e r , New Meeting-St, Birm."
C.1800 - c.1850; 'a' i s p r i n t e d i n an old
s t y l e and may date from soon a f t e r 1800.
There i s only one t r i f l i n g v a r i a t i o n between
'a' and 'b'; 30 stas., A - B - B l - B2 - B3
- B4 - B5 - C - CI - C2 - C3 - C4 - D - Dl -
D2 - D3 - D4 - E - E l - f , g - g l (2 l i n e s )
_ H - J - K - L - L 1 - M - N - P - Q .
IX. NO IMPRINT - James Guest of Birmingham?
'C.C.'
Location of Broadside;
A t t r i b u t i o n:
Date;
Birmingham Lib. 119932, p.v (2 copies);
also i n Birmingham Lib. 60338, p.88 and i n
B r i t i s h Library 1466 i . 31, no.7.
The border design, layout and paper used i n
t h i s broadside support i t s a t t r i b u t i o n t o
James Guest i n the B r i t i s h Library Cataloque;
another carol broadside of t h i s type, i n
Birmingham Lib. 60338, p.91, bears the i m p r i n t ,
"PRINTED BY JAMES GUEST, 93, Steelhouse-lane,
Birmingham."
C.1842?
Description of t e x t : 30 stas., ordered as C.C. V I I.
X. DUDLEY - WALTERS (Chapbook)
•C.C.'
P r i n t e d:
Date:
Description of t e x t :
I n the chapbook, A Good Christmas Box,
p r i n t e d i n 1847 by G. Walters of High Street,
Dudley, i n Part I I a t p.101; i n the f a c s i m i le
copy by M. and J. Raven a t pp.16-17.
1847.
30 stas., A - B - B l - B2 - B3 - B4
C - CI - C2 - C3 - C4 - D - Dl - D2
D4 - E - E l - f , g - g3, g l - H - J
- L l - M - N - P - Q .

XI. MONMOUTH - PRICHARD
'The Old and Popular Carol, c a l l e d The Carnal and the Crane I '
Location of Broadside: Hereford L i b . , P i l l e y Collection no.2270, p.7.
I m p r i n t : "Sold by Prichard, Monmouth".
Date: Late eighteenth century?
Description of t e x t : 30 stas., ordered as C.C. V I I I .
(b) TRADITIONAL VARIANTS OF 'THE CARNAL AND THE CRANE'
A l l variants were c o l l e c t e d i n England.
C.C. n o . l . BRONSON 55 n o . l.
'C.C. '
Date:
Place:
Source:
Tune:
Description o f t e x t :
July 1909.
Haven, Herefs.
Bronson 55 n o . l from Vaughan Williams,
J.F.S.S., IV no.14 (1910), pp.22-25; also
i n Leather and Williams, Twelve T r a d i t i o n al
Carols, pp.22-23; tune i n Oxford Carols
no.53 (p.109); sung by Mr. Hirons, aged 60,
i n 1909.
Bronson group A.
11 stas., A* - B - C* - CI* - C4* - D* -
El - J - K* - L - M*; the rhyme scheme
has been corrupted.
2. BRONSON 55 no.2.
'King Herod and the Cock'
Date:
Place:
Source:
Tune;
Description of t e x t :
13 A p r i l 1911.
Armscote, Warwicks.
Bronson 55 no.2 from Sharp MSS., 2585/.;
also i n Sharp, English Folk Carols, p.2,
i n Sharp, C o l l e c t i o n , ed. Karpeles, I , p.57
(no. 11) and i n Oxford Carols no.54
(pp.110-111); sung by E l l e n Plumb, aged 85,
i n 1911.
Bronson group A.
4 stas., C* - CI - C2 - C3.

C.C. 3a. BRONSON 55 no.3.
3b.
'King Pharim'
Date:
Place:
Source:
Tune:
D e s c r i n t i o n o f t e x t :
WILLIAMS - Anon.
(King Pharim)
Date:
Place;
Source:
Without tune.
Description of t e x t ;
1893.
Surrey
Bronson 55 no.3 from Broadwood, J.F.S.S., I ,
no.4 (1902), p.183; also i n Broadwood,
English Trad. Songs, pp.74-75 and i n
Oxford Carols, no.55 (pp.112-113); see also
R.V.W. L i b . Broadwood MS. pp.193-195; sung
by three gypsy men named Goby i n 1893.
Bronson group B.
9 stas., R - Rl - R2 - C2» - C3* - R3 - R4 -
E l * - R5.
Not given.
Not given; perhaps Herefs.
R.V.W.Lib., Vaughan Williams Scrapbook, p.78,
i n i t i a l l e d R.V.W.; a barely l e g i b l e text
w r i t t e n i n p e n c i l , without stanza d i v i s i o n s,
which probably represents a t r a d i t i o n al
gypsy version, perhaps from Herefordshire;
no source i s given.
5 stas., garbled, R - Rl - R2 - C2* - C3*
Stanzas Incorporated i n Gypsy Versions of 'The Wife of Usher's Well'
4a. BRONSON 79 no.3. •
'There was a lady i n Merry Scotland'
Date:
Place:
Source:
(Tune:
Description of t e x t :
1908.
Dilwyn, Herefs.
Bronson 79 no.3; from Leather, Folklore o f
Herefs., p.198; also i n R.V.W. L i b . , Vaughan
Williams Scrapbook, p.72; sung by
Mrs. Loveridge, a gypsy's wife, i n 1908.
Bronson 79 group B)
A stanza from C.C., namely C3*, occurs a t
s t a . 8 o f t h i s version o f Child 79.

(C.C.) 4b. ' SHARP - Fletcher
(The Wife of Usher's Well)
Date: 5 September 1919.
Place: Cinderford, Glos.
Source: Sharp, C o l l e c t i o n , ed. Karpeles, I , p.712;
also i n Sharp MSS., . / 3321; sung by
Mr. Fletcher, a gypsy, i n 1919.
Without tune.
Description of t e x t ; Stanza C3* from C.C. occurs at sta. 4 of
t h i s version of Child 79.