Ballad Book

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

7935

Title

Ballad Book

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Edited by Katharine Lee Bates, this collection gathers early English and Scottish ballads from superstition, tradition, and romance. With rugged language and broken metres, it appeals to students and lovers of poetry, offering a gateway to the youth of our literature and the enduring charm of folk song.

Summary up to 500 words

Katharine Lee Bates's *Ballad Book* presents a curated selection of ancient English and Scottish ballads, organized into three distinct classes: those derived from superstition, those rooted in tradition, and those emerging from romance and domestic life. The volume prioritizes Scottish ballads, recognizing their superior poetic value, while also preserving the dialectic phrases and historical notes essential to understanding these communal voices. Bates argues that the ballad serves as the germ of all poetic varieties, evolving from primitive chants and religious rites into professional bardic art. The collection traces this evolution from the rhythmic cries of barbaric dance-circles to the sophisticated literature of the Elizabethan era and beyond. The narrative scope is vast, ranging from the tragic tales of "Robin Hood's Death and Burial" and "Annie of Lochroyan" to the lyrical "A Lyke-Wake Dirge" and the epic-germ "The Hunting of the Cheviot." Themes explored include supernatural encounters with fairies and demons, heroic deeds, tragic love, and sharp social commentary. The text captures the raw vitality of early poetry, characterized by rugged language, broken metres, and sometimes dubious morals, yet underpinned by a vital beauty that appeals to both the youthful heart and the mature scholar. Bates highlights the ballad's role as a vessel for communal memory, where stock stanzas, refrains, and epithets preserved the hard-won wealth of experience and law. The book includes notable entries such as "The Twa Corbies," "Lord Thomas and Fair Annet," and "The Banks o' Yarrow," illustrating the transition from oral tradition to printed literature. By presenting these works, the volume invites readers to engage with the past, acknowledging how these folk songs, once sung from Scottish loch to English lowland, have fossilized in print yet continue to echo the social life of the community. The introduction further elucidates the philosophical propriety of studying these early forms, suggesting that they awaken a genuine love for poetry that fuels independent study and education.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• English Literature
• Ballads