I have inter-library loaned "The Ballad Book" by MacEdward Leach,
which is supposedly one of the better sources of information about the
Child ballads. If anyone has a specific ballad they'd like me to look
up, just give a yell.

I've already spotted one weirdness: For "The Three Ravens" (Child 26),
I know it's in Ravenscroft in 1611. Leach lists it as being in
_Ancient Songs_ by Ritson, published 1790. Looking in Bronson I can
see that in fact Ritson just reprinted Ravenscroft. So you can be lead
astray by only using Leach's book; without Bronson, you'd be stuck
trying to look for this 1790 book, only to find out you could have
used the easily available Ravenscroft...

Oh, and Tom 'o Bedlam isn't in it.

Gregory Blount


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