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The Rantin Laddie

Date 19 July 1978
Track ID 67624
Part 1

Track Information

Original Track ID

SA1977.126.B1

Original Tape ID

SA1977.126

Summary

In this ballad, a young woman gives birth to an illegitimate baby by the 'Rantin Laddie', and her father is greatly angered. She sends a letter to the father, who is in fact the Earl of Aboyne. The Earl is moved by her words and dispatches a company to bring her to the castle, where she and her sweetheart are married, and her honour is restored.

Sheila Douglas was given this version, which comes from Gavin Greig's manuscripts, by Pat Shaw [Patrick Shuldham-Shaw]; Greig took it down from the singing of his sister, Mrs Gillespie.

Item Notes

16 verses of 4 lines.

See:
Greig-Duncan vol. 5, pp. 131-138, no. 976
'Ballad Book' (M. Leach, 1955) pp. 597-598
'Scottish Ballad Book' (D. Buchan, 1973) pp. 165-166
'The Scotish Minstrel' vol. 4 (R. A. Smith, 1824) pp. 6-7
'Traditional Ballad Airs' vol. 1 (W. Christie, 1876) pp. 210-211
'Ancient Ballads and Songs' vol. 2 (P. Buchan, 1828, 1875) pp. 63-64
'Folk-Song of the North-East' (G. Greig, K. Goldstein & A. Argo, 1963 reprint) art. CLIV
'The Scots Musical Museum' vol. 5 (J. Johnson & R. Burns, 1853) pp. 474-475, no. 462
'Traditional Tunes of the Child Ballads' vol. 3 (B. H. Bronson & F. J. Child, 1959) pp. 423-426

Item Location

County - Aberdeenshire

Parish - Aboyne and Glen Tanar

Village/Place - Aboyne

Language

Scots

Collection

SoSS

Classification

R103 GD976 C240

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good