Willie Macintosh [Child 183]

DESCRIPTION: Willie Macintosh (probably in revenge for the slaying of the Earl of Murray; see Child 181) swears he will burn Auchindown, even if Huntly murders him. Macintosh succeeds in his efforts
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1808 (Finlay)
KEYWORDS: feud revenge fire
HISTORICAL REFERENCES:
1592 - Vendetta between the Earl of Huntly and Clan Macintosh
FOUND IN: Britain(Scotland) US(NE,So)
REFERENCES (9 citations):
Child 183, "Willie Macintosh" (2 texts)
Bronson 183, "Willie Macintosh" (1 version)
Buchan/Moreira-TheGlenbuchatBallads, p. 188, "[Willie Macintosh]" (1 fragment)
MacColl-PersonalChoice, p. 8, "The Burning o' Auchendoun" (1 short text, 1 tune) {Bronson's (#1)}
Barry/Eckstorm/Smyth-BritishBalladsFromMaine pp. 264-266, "Bonny Willie Macintosh" (1 text, learned in Scotland)
Friedman-Viking/PenguinBookOfFolkBallads, p. 266, "Willie Macintosh" (1 text)
Moore/Moore-BalladsAndFolkSongsOfTheSouthwest 36, "Willie MacIntosh" (1 text)
Whitelaw-BookOfScottishBallads, pp. 248-249, "Burning of Auchindoun" (2 texts)
Quiller-Couch-OxfordBookOfBallads 134, "Willie Macintosh"
Roud #4010
ALTERNATE TITLES:
The Burning of Auchindown
NOTES [132 words]: The Willie Macintosh of this ballad was an ally of the Earl of Murray; [to avenge] Murray's death, he and his followers harried the Earl of Huntly, whose followers eventually caught up with Macintosh's men and defeated them. Contrary to the ballad, this Willie didn't burn Auchindown castle; that had been burned by another Willie Macintosh forty years before. - PJS
The only [known] tune [for this song] was miraculously preserved by either [Ewan] MacColl's father or else his mother. Yeah, sure! - AS
And Barry et al argue that the piece wasn't really meant to be sung. But even Bronson admits the effectiveness of the tune supplied by MacColl. MacColl-PersonalChoice, p. 68, says it is from his father William Miller. - RBW
Whitelaw-BookOfScottishBallads is one Child's sources for text A. - BS
Last updated in version 6.1
File: C183

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