Three Wise Old Women

DESCRIPTION: Three wise old women go walking in winter. One carries a ladder; another, a basket; "the wisest one, she carried a fan to keep off the sun." (At least) one climbs the ladder and is blown to sea. (They use the basket to bail, the fan as a sail)
AUTHOR: Mrs. E. T. Corbett, according to Felleman _The Best Loved Poems of the American People_
EARLIEST DATE: 1942 (Randolph)
KEYWORDS: humorous animal talltale
FOUND IN: US(So)
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Randolph 130, "Three Wise Old Women" (1 text)
ST R130 (Partial)
Roud #3271
NOTES [47 words]: Although hardly known in tradition, Randolph's text differs enough from the presumed original in Felleman that I have to think there was folk processing along the way. E.g., in the original, they climb the tree for fear of a bear; it seems as if the informant would remember that. - RBW
File: R130

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Song List

Go to the Ballad Index Instructions
Go to the Ballad Index Bibliography or Discography