Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-12-03
FOLKLORE SOCIETY
FINDS OLD BALLADS
Archivist {. AIphonso Smith Sub.
mitS Interesting Report on
His Researches.
MERE FRAGMENTS RECOVERED
Famous English Balladist, Cecil j.
Sharp, Visits Virginia and Adds
to Collection OF Surviving Folk.
lore Songs and Poems.

The following report was submitted
on Friday by e. Alphonso Smith. Edgar
Allan Poe professor OF English at the
University OF Virginia.. to the Virginia
Foikiore Society. coverin. the work
done in the past twelve months:
Again II is my privilege TO report a
most encouraging year OF ballad finds.
Last year reported tweuty-eisht
different ballads. This year the num-
Der is also twenty eight. but. whereas
last year the number Of melodies sen,
In were ten. this year we report
thirty-two. OF course. most of Tho
twcnty-eieht versions received this
year are variants OF thoS. that We
already have. but Il cannot b. TOO
strongly emphasized that next to a
new version, variants OF versions
already In hand are Of great value
Last year our list contained eight
ballads not hitherto found in Virginia.
inns year only two not hitherto re-
ported were sent In. These are Young
hnntins 'Child. No. So and a fray-
'nsht OF The Brown Girl' tCh!ld, No
POI. Both come from AlbemarIc
County.
The following counties that had moi,
before been heard from have during
this year sent in versions or melodies
OF both: Dinwiddie, Floyd. Fluyanuu
lancaster montgomery, pittsylv:,uia.
Enppahainock, Tazcweil and Washing
ton. Forty-tive counties. however. are
still OF our delinquent list
FAMOUS ENGIIsHMAN
VISITS VIRGINIA
The most Interesting event OF the
year. from Il ballad viewpoint was the
visit To virginia OF the famous English
e"iIadist. Cecil J. sharp. and his as.
sistant. Miss Maud Karp.ie. Mr.
sharp has collected the words and
music l" more ballads surviving I'm
England than amy on. else. living or
dead BEFORE coming to Virginia he
spent several months in til. mountains.
or North Carolina, where he collected
about $50 songs and ballads with their
tunes These he IL now publishing in
book form in New York In his list
there are thirty-thrce English and
Scottish ballads. la our complete list
there are now thirty nine. Sir. Sharps
visit 10 Albemarlc County Was all too
short but he very generously handed
TO me copies OF all the ballads that he
found during his stay OF a few DAYS
to2 ether with the tunes You Will b.
interested in knowing that he WAS
astonished at III. number of ballad
versions and tunes that he found sur
viring in our Southern mountains.
had stated somewhat Tentatively that
when results were compared IL would
be FOUND that more OF the traditional
ballads survive here than in Great
Britain. Mr.. Sharp not only confirms
this conjecture, but adds that ONLY
very old peop!c.--those born about 1874,
know anything Of ballads in Eng
land, while here the children know
them This shows that the ha ntiing-
down process is atill going on In the
south. hut has ceased in England
MANY BALLADS LOCATED,
SOME NEW FRAGMENTS
our report for tho last twelve
months is as follows: The Hgurcs in
parcnthesis show the number OF the
ballad AS given by Professor Child in
his English and Scottish Popular
Ballads" and retained by Professor
kittred.c in his "nc-volumc edition OF
Professor Child's larger work. The
proper names following the title and
number arc the names OF those who re-
ported the ballads. The counties men
toned are those in which the versions
were found:
Earl Brand or The Scvan Broth
ers" $50 -. Miss Martha NJ. Davis.
Rnppahannock County.
"rhr Two Sisters" OF I'll re True
TO My Love" ESQ 100. Mrs e. T.. Scott,
Amherst County, Cecil !. Sharp, Albc-
marie County. Two variants. one frag-
mcnt and three tunes
Lord Randall" or Lord RoIus" no
10. Miss Florida A.hby. Fluvanna
county one stauza: Miss Juliet
Fauntleroy. Campbell County The
her" had eaten rattle aud Gel broth"
hut forGave his sweetheart
Sir Iioncr or old Rangum" GO
lsp Cecil J. Sharp. Albcmarlc County.
fragment with tune
The Cruel Mother tNo .oI. Miss
Iulici E'auntlcroy. Campbell county,
tune I" words already sent in: Miss
Martha NJ. Davis. Rock ingham County
with tune: Cecil j. Sharp. Albcmarle
County. ono stanza with tune.
THE Three Crows" or The Two
crowa' 'No. 30. Miss Juliet Faunt-
leroy. Montgomery County: Miss Nancy
Pearson. Mathews County; Miss Helen
Boulder Towlcs. Lancaster County.
per IL. j.. Shcwmakc. Jr.: Miss Mar
Sarci Martin. Washington County,
- as Hi'i'. 'f'ii j. Snafp, AlDemarle
County. the tuhc alone.
THE Two Brothers Go. 49,. Cecil j.
SHARP. Alhemarlc County. two versions.
a fragment and three tunes.
Young Rcichan" on. Lord Ratcman"
(No. so. Miss Martha NJ Davis. Ran
pahannock County. supplement- 10 YER
sion already sent: Miss Rcxic Martin.
Alhcmarle County.
''ChCTrV-'rree t'IlpI'' jNn - N;c-
Juliet iaunilcroy. Campbell County.
An excellent version OF this ballad
drst reported from the United States
BY our society. 1t has been found
also by Professor kittredge. in Ken
lucky
Young liontng' or proud Lady
Margaret or Lady Margaret" or Love
Henery" 1No. 6S. Miss Roxie Martin. Al
bemarle County uhe first report OF this
ballad in Nirginia): Cecil j. Sharp.
Albemarle County
Lord Thomas and Fair Annet'' or
Lord Thomas" or The Three Lovers"
or The Brown Giri'' or Fair Ellender'
or 'Fai" Ellington" (No. 73). j. L.
Mays. Amherst County: Mrs. DIN Fisk