Blow the Fire, Blacksmith

DESCRIPTION: The singer would rather have "a young man, With an apple in his hand, Than I would have an old man, With all his house and land." An old man complains of his weary life; a young man "comes jumping in" to kiss his wife.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1883 (_Cock Robin, and Other Nursery Rhymes and Jingles _)
KEYWORDS: age marriage nonballad
FOUND IN: Britain(England(South))
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Williams-FolkSongsOfTheUpperThames, p. 305, "(I'd rather have a young man with an apple in his hand)" (1 fragment) (also Williams-Wiltshire-WSRO Ox 265, "I'd Rather Have a Young Man")
ADDITIONAL: "Cock Robin", Cock Robin, and Other Nursery Rhymes and Jingles (London, 1883 (date per Google Books, "Digitized by Google")), p. 16, "Blow the Fire, Blacksmith" (1 text)
Roud #12869 and 2897
File: WT305I

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