Under the Spreading Chestnut Tree (II)

DESCRIPTION: "Under the spreading chestnut tree The village smithy stands, and he Is strong as glue, and he owes not a sou, Week in, week out, he toils as a rule. And children... Play larks with the sparks and make rude remarks." He works, he goes to church, he rests
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1983 (Kane-SongsAndSayingsOfAnUlsterChildhood)
KEYWORDS: worker children derivative | blacksmith church
FOUND IN: Ireland
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Kane-SongsAndSayingsOfAnUlsterChildhood, p. 160, "Under the spreading chestnut tree" (1 text)
Roud #24613
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Under the Spreading Chestnut Tree (I)"
NOTES [60 words]: Like "Under the Spreading Chestnut Tree (I)," this is clearly a parody of Longfellow's "The Village Blacksmith," but it is certainly not the same song/poem. This is a bit odd -- it clearly teaches a moral lesson (work hard and be good), but it does it in somewhat silly language. Did the parents make this up for their children, or did the children do it? - RBW
Last updated in version 6.5
File: KSUC160A

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