Alison and Willie [Child 256]

DESCRIPTION: Alison invites Willie to her wedding. He will not come except as the groom. She tells him that if he leaves, she will ignore him forever. He sets out slowly and sadly, sees an omen, and dies for love. A letter arrives, halting the wedding. Alison too dies
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: c, 1818 (Buchan/Moreira-TheGlenbuchatBallads)
KEYWORDS: love wedding separation death
FOUND IN: Britain(Scotland(Aber,Bord))
REFERENCES (6 citations):
Child 256, "Alison and Willie" (1 text, 1 tune) {Bronson's [#1]}
Bronson 256, "Alison and Willie" (1 version)
Lyle/McAlpine/McLucas-SongRepertoireOfAmeliaAndJaneHarris, pp. 22-27, "Swet Willie/My Luve She Lives in Lincolnshire" (2 texts, 1 tune); pp. 205-206, "Alison" (1 text, from Buchan's papers) {Bronson's [#1], with differences}
Buchan/Moreira-TheGlenbuchatBallads, pp. 54-55, "Hynde Chiel" (1 text, substantially different from Child's)
Leach-TheBalladBook, pp. 625-626, "Alison and Willie" (1 text)
MidwestFolklore, Ruth Yakes Mortenson, "A Note on 'Alison and Willie' (Child 256)," Volume 11, Number 4 (Winter 1961) p. 213-214, "(Alison and Willie)" (1 excerpt with notes)
Roud #245
NOTES [62 words]: Child considered stanza 7 of his text to be a mystery. The Mortenson article attempts to explain it: Willie, rather than dying for love as would seem to be the intent of the song, was led away by the hare in the same way that Thomas of Ercildoune was led away from the world. There is nothing inherently impossible about this, but neither does it strike me as compelling. - RBW
Last updated in version 4.2
File: C256

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