My Mither Built a Wee, Wee House
DESCRIPTION: The singer says "How can I keep my maidenhead Amang sae many men?" "My mither built a tiny house To keep me frae the men." The walls fell. "The Captain had a guinea for't, The Colonel he bad ten." No silver: "I'll give it to a bonnie lad" as mother did.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1824 (Sharpe)
KEYWORDS: sex virginity money nonballad mother
FOUND IN: Britain(Scotland(Aber))
REFERENCES (3 citations):
Greig/Duncan8 1727, "Hi Tak the Bonnie Lassie" (1 text)
DT, HOWKEEP
ADDITIONAL: Charles Kirkpatrick Sharpe, A Ballad Book (Edinburgh, 1891, reprint of 1824 edition), Vol I, #18 p. 47, "My Mither Built a Wee, Wee House"
Roud #13128
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "There's Nae Luck Aboot the Hoose" (tune, per Greig/Duncan8)
cf. "Birks of Abergeldie" (tune, per Sharpe)
cf. "What My Minnie Did" (theme)
ALTERNATE TITLES:
How Can I Keep My Maidenhead
NOTES [80 words]: Greig/Duncan8 about that version: "Sung ... as far back as 1867."
An argument can be made that Greig/Duncan8 should be split from Sharpe [and Burns (see Digital Tradition version at DT, HOWKEEP)]. I see it as a song that is certainly derived from Sharpe and has changed some details. A description of Greig/Duncan8: Father builds a house to keep the girl from the men. Mother would add a window so she can see them. The girls says "What can a bonnie lassie dee Among so many men" - BS
Last updated in version 2.6
File: GrD81727
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