Cantie Carlie, The

DESCRIPTION: James, a widower, is tired of lying alone. He courts Bell Grant, young enough to be his granddaughter, and she agrees to marry. A storm delays the bride's trip from Aberdeen. Finally they reach the church and are married. "And ten months brings a son"
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1908 (Greig/Duncan3)
KEYWORDS: age courting sex wedding travel storm humorous baby
FOUND IN: Britain(Scotland(Aber))
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Greig-FolkSongInBuchan-FolkSongOfTheNorthEast #174, pp. 1-2, "The Cantie Carlie"; #16, p. 3, "The Cantie Carlie" (1 text plus 1 fragment)
Greig/Duncan3 618, Greig/Duncan8 Addenda, "The Cantie Carlie" (6 texts, 4 tunes)
Roud #6055
ALTERNATE TITLES:
The Wanton Carlie
NOTES [117 words]: The wedding has "December linked to June." When Bell finally arrives "tho' he was near four score Lap like a spainin' lamb." When the parson is delayed he would take Bell to bed, but she refuses -- and threatens to call the whole thing off -- until the bride's maid proposes that the three of them sleep together for warmth with her as chaperon. The last verse concludes "Fair fa' the Cantie Carlie, The bride she lov'd him dearlie; May they get babies yearlie, -- I ha'e nae mair to say."
Greig/Duncan3 has a map on p. xxxv, of "places mentioned in songs in volume 3" showing the song number as well as place name; Auchronie (618) is at coordinate (h1,v8) on that map [roughly 9 miles W of Aberdeen]. - BS
Last updated in version 2.6
File: GrD3618

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