“The Boy on the Land”
Description
Little boy, working on the land, is given an old coat, "old stiff collar button'd to the throat." Second, he's given an old gun; "Sometimes she gave fire, sometimes she gave smoke, She gave my shoulder the devil's own poke"
Notes
This is a conundreum; from the fragmentary text it's not clear whether the boy gets the coat and gun for his agricultural work or because he's been conscripted into the army. If the latter, just possibly "The Kerry Recruit" is related, but it's all very tenuous. - PJS
Roud in fact lumps them, but until we find some sort of substantial version, it will be hard to prove either way. - RBW
Cross references
- cf. "The Kerry Recruit" (hints of plot)
References
- SharpAp 164, "The Boy on the Land" (1 text, 1 tune)
- BI, ShAp2164