A CHECKLIST OF CHILD BALLAD VARIANTS
FOUND IN SOUTHERN APPALACHIA
Thomas Burton and Ambrose Manning
The following checklist—drawn from a considerable number of major published
and unpublished sources, as well as selected minor ones—is a representative inventory of
variants of Child ballads found in Southern Appalachia. It does not propose to be a
definitive list. Nor does it overcome all the inherent limitations and problems confronting
such an inventory; for example the difficulty in delineating “Southern Appalachia”
(considered here as basically, but not exclusively, that area prescribed by the Appalachian
Regional Commission) and the inability to consult the almost inexhaustible number of
sources.
We also had to accept such realities as the following: some sources include only
one variant of a ballad, whereas other sources include representative variants of all the
ones collected; collections sometimes designate, sometimes not, the specific place where a
variant was recorded or from whom, but not necessarily where it was learned originally or
other critical details of dissemination; some informants are included in multiple
collections, and their songs are easily tallied, mistakenly, more than once; duplications can
occur through the circumstance of multiple collectors recording from different members of
the same family or from different persons who learned the same specific matrix; a collector
may include the same variants in multiple collections without specifying whether they
have been previously published; the credibility of variants can be dubious relative to a
number of factors, including editorial policy; and fragments, summaries, written copies,
oral traditional status, authenticity of sources, as well as other matters pose questions that
are sometimes unfathomable and ultimately subjective. Consequently, in any given
collection we might for any number of reasons include all or some of the variants of one
ballad and none of another.
We have attempted to use sound, consistent judgment in the inventory. We are
aware, however, that if we were to begin anew, we might modify the criteria for inclusions.
Nevertheless, even with the limitations and inherent problems of the compilation, we feel
that the checklist is a reliable guide to the number of Child ballad variants found in
Southern Appalachia.
______________
Originally published in the Tennessee Folklore Society Bulletin 58, no. 3 (1997): 102.
Copyright © 1997 by the Tennessee Folklore Society.
1
2
3
4
7
Riddles Wisely
Expounded
The Elfin Knight
False Knight Upon
the Road
Lady Isabel & the
Elf-Knight
9
Earl Brand
Fair Flower of
Northumberland
11
The Cruel Brother
10
12
13
14
The Twa Sisters
Lord Randall
Edward
x
x
Sir Lionel
x
21
The Maid & the Palmer
x
26
The Three Ravens
23
The Cruel Mother
Judas
27
The Whummil Bore
37
Thomas Rymer
31
38
40
43
45
Marriage of Gawain
Wee Wee Man
Queen of Elfin Nourice
The Broomfield Hill
46
King John
Capt. Wedderburn’s
Courtship
51
Lizzie Wan
49
53
The Twa Brothers
Young Beichan
54
The Cherry-Tree Carol
58
Sir Patrick Spens
56
x
Dives and Lazarus
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
65
Lady Maisry
x
68
74
Young Hunting
Lord Thomas & Fair
Annet
Fair Margaret & Sweet
William’s Ghost
76
Lass of Roch Royal
73
75
77
78
79
Lord Lovel
Sweet William’s Ghost
The Unquiet Grave
81
Wife of Usher’s Well
Little Musgrave & Lady
Barnard
84
Bonny Barbara Allen
82
85
87
The Bonnie Birdy
Lady Alice
Prince Robert
90
Jellon Grame
93
Lamkin
Maid Freed from the
Gallows
92
95
99
100
105
110
114
118
119
120
121
125
126
132
138
140
141
155
156
162
164
170
173
181
199
200
Bonny Bee Hom
Johnie Scot
Willie o Winsbury
Bailiff’s Daughter of
Islington
Knight & Shepherd’s
Daughter
Johnie Cock
Robin Hood & Guy of
Gisborne
Robin Hood & the
Monk
Robin Hood’s Death
Robin Hood & the
Potter
Robin Hood & Little
John
Robin Hood & the
Tanner
Bold Pedlar & th Bold
Bedlar
Robin Hood & Allen
Robin Hood Rescuing
3Squires
Robin Hood Rescuing
Will Stutly
Sir Hugh
Queen Eleanor’s
The Hunting of the
Cheviot
King Henry V’s
Conquest of France
The Death of Queen
Jane
Mary Hamilton
The Bonnie Earl of
Murray
The Bonnie House of
Airlie
201
The Gypsy Laddie
Bessy Bell and Mary
Gray
209
Geordie
204
210
Jamie Douglas
Bonnie James Campbell
5
24
1
1
2
23
77
4
2
5
5
25
25
1
1
1
1
1
43
2
5
43
2
77
1
1
2
21
8
14
x
56
1
75
2
98
8
2
2
x
1
1
x
1
1
x
3
3
1
70
70
x
2
2
x
6
6
x
5
5
1
8
x
1
1
x
1
1
x
99
99
x
4
4
5
Heir of Linne
x
272
274
275
277
278
279
283
286
287
289
293
295
299
Count
The Suffolk Miracle
Our Goodman
Get Up and Bar the
Door
The Wife Wrapt in
Wether’s Skin
The Farmer’s Curst
Wife
The Jolly Beggar
The Crafty Farmer
Sweet Trinity(Golden
Vanity)
Captain Ward
The Mermaid
John of Hazelgreen
The Brown Girl
The Trooper & the
Maid
Variants
100 Items
2573
x
1
2
1
75
7
7
52
54
54
2
7
59
English
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
2
1
5
2
1
4
1
1
13
3
3
1
9
4
1
36
31
7
7
1
5
6
1
1
6
7
1
2
2
1
2
7
5
4
2
3
4
7
3
8
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
1
1
1
3
1
1
4
1
11
13
5
6
1
7
5
3
5
1
1
1
10
1
1
1
5
7
12
1
1
12
5
3
4
1
5
1
5
3
7
1
27
8
6
1
5
4
1
7
1
1
1
5
1
1
1
2
1
5
3
1
1
11
3
1
6
1
1
5
1
1
1
1
15
7
2
1
1
1
2
2
2
21
1
1
2
9
8
2
1
1
1
1
3
1
1
1
1
3
23
1
1
25
2
2572
Scottish
Total
Variants
Herbet Shellans
J. H. T. Sutherland
Anne & Frank Warner
Cratis Williams
FW
CDW
1
3
3
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
2
1
2
1
3
1
5
1
1
2
1
1
1
2
3
1
1
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
3
1
2
1
1
2
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
12
5
1
2
1
6
1
14
9
2
31
5
1
1
17
2
5
2
9
6
2
1
1
3
1
1
2
4
1
1
1
1
3
3
2
4
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
3
2
17
6
7
2
17
3
2
2
1
1
8
5
16
24
2
1
1
1
3
1
1
3
1
1
1
4
6
6
1
5
1
1
5
4
11
8
3
1
2
3
4
2
2
1
3
1
1
5
1
1
1
1
1
9
5
3
1
13
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
2
8
1
1
2
1
1
1
13
1
17
1
12
3
1
3
5
6
4
1
2
1
5
3
9
1
1
7
2
1
6
60
3
3
1
9
6
1
2
3
5
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
8
3
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
10
4
1
1
2
2
3
7
5
1
1
1
4
6
1
2
10
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
3
3
1
1
6
7
3
1
1
2
1
2
1
2
4
1
3
1
1
3
1
1
3
24
Number of Child Ballads Found in Research
Total Number of Variant Ballads Identified in Burton-Manning Study
14
17
10
189
20
1
1
7
16
12
1
7
52
28
1
10
9
1
1
1
4
1
2
1
1
6
1
1
8
4
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
2
1
5
1
4
5
1
3
148
1
1
3
9
1
2
1
251
1
2
22
11
1
1
131
1
2
5
7
1
1
1
13
6
18
5
3
1
1
7
10
2
1
2
8
1
2
4
1
1
1
3
11
3
1
3
1
1
1
1
11
2
1
101
66
3
3
368
2
1
2
1
3
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
3
11
1
1
2
14
1
1
3
1
4
50
1
1
1
1
92
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
7
1
5
3
2
1
1
2
4
4
1
6
1
11
1
1
1
31
7
1
5
5
152
1
1
1
1
30
3
1
20
1
1
3
1
1
1
3
1
2
1
1
6
1023
1
1
1
7
1
1
2
1
2
Scottish
Variants
13
1
1
1
1549
JHTS
1
3
English
Variants
HS
1
3
1
41
JFS
1
1
3
11
DS
1
1
4
11
AR
1
1
6
5
1
4
1
5
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
1
4
15
LR
1
1
2
1
3
15
LWR
1
1
1
1
1
1
BR
3
2
10
JRII
1
2
1
13
1
4
14
John F. Smith Ballad
Alton Morris
1
5
2
1
JR
1
1
3
Dorothy Scarborough
W. K. Mc Neil (WKMII)
1
1
3
1
Art Rosenbaum
W. K. Mc Neil (WKM)
1
2
1
Leonard Roberts
Edwin Kirkland
1
1
12
Leonard Ward Roberts Collection
Talitha Powell McClure Collection
5
4
1
10
1
Beth Vanover Roberts
Maud Karpeles
6
3
1
2
1
Jean Rithchie II
Dorothy Horne
4
7
5
1
Jean Rithchie
Matteson & Henry
3
9
1
1
Vance Randolph
Mellinger Henry
3
2
4
James Watt Reine Ballad Collection
Emory Hamilton
2
12
1
3
4
2
John Jacob Niles
Mildred Haun Cocke Co. Ballads
1
7
2
1
1
3
1
1
59
1
x
3
1
2
59
25
11
4
4
1
2
13
75
52
x
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
x
23
1
1
1
1
1
1
x
2
1
3
3
2
1
x
x
1
1
2
1
7
7
x
2
1
1
VR
1
2
x
1
1
9
1
1
1
2
JWR
1
187
x
1
2
2
JJN
1
187
x
1
1
1
1
x
x
1
1
2
13
AM
1
2
x
WKMII
1
x
x
6
5
1
Henry Martyn
4
1
1
267
2
8
2
x
250
1
19
Lizie Lindsay
2
WKM
8
226
x
2
12
2
1
1
4
The Grey Cock
5
2
1
x
248
K
2
4
243
TPM
2
2
x
5
1
2
Katharine Jaffray [sic]
CS&K
1
12
2
x
x
DH
1
1
1
2
1
2
1
2
19
MHII
1
x
x
9
3
1
x
1
1
21
1
x
1
1
x
x
1
2
4
1
8
1
2
46
1
x
4
1
1
1
x
1
2
1
7
x
x
3
1
14
2
x
1
3
9
1
5
1
295
x
MH
1
1
1
x
7
7
5
81
46
1
1
4
x
The Rantin Laddie
James Harris(Daemon
Lover)
1
80
x
ELH
1
2
The Braes o Yarrow
240
1
80
98
MEHII
1
1
214
221
3
x
x
MEH
1
23
25
81
3
PG
2
1
x
KJF
1
4
x
AKDII
1
1
163
1
AKD
2
1
163
x
JCII
1
95
x
3
1
x
75
JC
1
1
295
JHC
1
95
x
3
1
x
x
RC
3
2
x
IGC
1
7
8
2
2
6
24
83
x
1
1
83
x
1
1
31
3
56
1
5
x
x
x
80
36
1
x
x
80
1
1
2
36
CC
1
80
12
B
2
63
3
25
Fair Annie
Child Waters
52
1
x
x
52
1
x
x
10
31
62
63
12
x
x
10
Mildred Eunice Haun Collection
RB
Patrick Gainer
FCB
Katherine Jackson French
B&M
Arthur Davis (AKDII)
BA
Arthur Davis
Raymond Burgin
BFMC
John H. Cox II
Frank C. Brown
GAII
John H. Cox
Burton/ Manning
GA
8
80
x
x
63
Variants
15
3
x
18
20
x
x
x
Scottish
Variants
15
x
x
Hind Horn
English
Variants
8
x
Babylon
17
Scottish
Josiah Combs
Byron Arnold
English
Richard Chase
Ballad & Folk Music Collection
Ballad Title
Isabel Gordon Carter
Geneva Anderson II
Child
Ballad
No.
Celestin Cambiaine
Geneva Anderson
JTA
(Original Spreadsheet Produced by Anna Lee Gibson)
Michael Bush
James Taylor Adams
Burton-Manning Checklist of
Child Ballads in Southern Appalachia
1
2
3
157
51
15
1
101
43
2
7
21
10
215
12
3
79
29
4
26
11
7