Three Frightened Virgins, The

DESCRIPTION: Three daughters bathing naked in a pool at night are startled by a young man spying on them. Their father hears the commotion and, in the dark, takes his daughters for thieves. Eventually the truth is revealed and everyone takes it as a joke.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1719 (Pills to Purge Melancholy)
LONG DESCRIPTION: One night an old man's three daughters sneaked out bathe naked in his pond. A young man watching from a tree fell into the pond "and scar'd them out of the water" The old man heard the ruckus and ran out "with an old rusty soward" to stop what he thought were thieves. The girls ran over the old man, who was too startled to make out what was going on in the dark, and they went into the house. The old man told neighbors that roughians had run into his house. Barely seeing the girls the neighbors took them for spirits and ran out into the dripping wet young man. He explained what had happened and everyone, including the old man - "they are my daughters whom I ador'd ... why should I be in a passion" -- took it as a joke.
KEYWORDS: virginity hiding humorous father
FOUND IN: Britain(Scotland(Aber))
REFERENCES (3 citations):
Greig/Duncan8 1893, "All Ye Who Delights in a Jolly Old Song" (1 text)
ADDITIONAL: Wit and Mirth, or, Pills to Purge Melancholy (London, 1719 ("Digitized by Google")), Vol II, pp. 12-14, "The Wanton Virgins Frightened" (tune, p. 8)
Ambrose Phillips?,] A Collection of Old Ballads, (London, 1723 ("Digitized by Google")), Vol II, pp. 130-132, "The Wanton Virgins Frightened"
Roud #12568
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, Harding B 25(1902) [most words illegible], "The Three Frighted Virgins" ("You that delight in a jocular song"), T. Batchelar (London) , 1807-1810
ALTERNATE TITLES:
The Old Man Strangely Surprised
NOTES [41 words]: re A Collection of Old Ballads Vol II: Ambrose Philips, whose name does not appear in the Google Books copy is, according to Google Books, the editor. The New York Public Library catalog says "Compilation usually attributed to Ambrose Philips" - BS
Last updated in version 2.5
File: GrD81893

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