Barley Raking (Barley Rigs A-Raking)

DESCRIPTION: The singer spies a couple "have a jovial treat" at hay-making time. After 20 weeks, "this fair maid fell a-sighing"; after 40 weeks, she is crying. She writes to her love. He rejects her, saying, "I dearly like my freedom."
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: before 1863 (broadside, Bodleian Firth c.18(297))
KEYWORDS: courting sex pregnancy rejection
FOUND IN: Britain(England(South),Scotland(Aber))
REFERENCES (6 citations):
Gardham-EarliestVersions, "BARLEY RAKING, THE"
Greig/Duncan6 1154, "Barley Rigs A-Rakin'" (8 texts, 8 tunes)
Ord-BothySongsAndBallads, p. 218-219, "Barley Rigs A-Raking" (1 text, 1 tune)
Reeves-TheEverlastingCircle 6, "The Barley Rakings" (2 texts)
Palmer-EnglishCountrySongbook, #71, "The Barley Rakings" (1 text, 1 tune)
Baring-Gould/Sheppard-SongsOfTheWest2ndEd, #85, "The Barley Raking" (1 text, 1 tune, omitting the hints of the pregnancy)
Roud #1024
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, Firth c.18(297), "Barley Raking" ("It was in the merry month of May when hay it wanted making")," H. Such (London), 1849-1862; also Harding B 11(1985), Firth c.18(296), Harding B 11(129), "Barley Raking"
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Oh, No, Not I" (plot) and references there
cf. "Corn Rigs (Rigs o' Barley)" (theme)
NOTES [27 words]: Roud lumps this with Burns's "Corn Rigs" ("It was upon a Lammas night"). A source it may be, but Burns has done enough rewriting that I think they must be split. - RBW
Last updated in version 6.8
File: Ord218

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