“Cricketty Wee”
Description
Arty Art, Dandrum Dart, and Brother-in-Three ask, in turn, "Where are ye going?"; Cricketty Wee answers, "To the fair." He will buy a pony, he will marry, will drink, will eat, will put food away, a cat will guard it; his children will work for death
Notes
Scholars almost without exception link this to "The Cutty Wren" and/or "Billy Barlow." The only similarity, however, is in form; neither the plot nor the characters are the same. I am clearly in the minority, but I don't think they're the same song. In any case, when in doubt, we split. - RBW
Cross references
- cf. "Billy Barlow" (form)
- cf. "The Cutty Wren" (form)
- cf. "Hunt the Wren" (form, subject)
References
- SHenry H744, pp. 12-13, "Cricketty Wee" (1 text, 1 tune)
- DT, CRICKWEE*
- Roud #236
- BI, HHH744