The Maid and the Palmer
Encyclopedia
"The Maid and the Palmer" or "The Well Below The Valley" is Child ballad 21 and a murder ballad
. Because of its dark and sinister lyrics (implying murder
and, in some versions, incest
), the song was often avoided by folk singers. It is claimed that Tom Munnelly
was largely responsible for preserving the song. Munnelly heard it sung by a member of the travelling community named John Reilly in County Roscommon in 1963.
begs a cup from a maid who is washing at the well, so that he could drink from. She says she has none. He says that she would have, if her lover came. She swore she had never had a lover. He says that she has borne nine babies and tells her where she buried the bodies. She begs some penance from him. He tells her that she will be transformed into a stepping-stone for seven years, a bell-clapper for seven, and spend seven years in hell.
In some variants, the children were incest
ously conceived.
The ballad "The Cruel Mother
", Child ballad 20, exists in a number of variants; one contains a number of verses that appear to stem from this one.
Murder ballad
Murder ballads are a sub-genre of the traditional ballad form, the lyrics of which form a narrative describing the events of a murder, often including the lead-up and/or aftermath...
. Because of its dark and sinister lyrics (implying murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
and, in some versions, incest
Incest
Incest is sexual intercourse between close relatives that is usually illegal in the jurisdiction where it takes place and/or is conventionally considered a taboo. The term may apply to sexual activities between: individuals of close "blood relationship"; members of the same household; step...
), the song was often avoided by folk singers. It is claimed that Tom Munnelly
Tom Munnelly
-Early years:Tom Munnelly was born in Rathmines in Dublin, and went to Clogher Road technical college. He took up factory work at the age of 15. At a scout camp he became intetersted in folk songs. To enlarge his own repertoire he acquired a tape recorder. In 1965 Munnelly met an Irish Traveller...
was largely responsible for preserving the song. Munnelly heard it sung by a member of the travelling community named John Reilly in County Roscommon in 1963.
Synopsis
A palmerPalmer (pilgrim)
In the Middle Ages, a palmer was a Christian Pilgrim, normally from Western Europe, who had visited the holy places in Palestine, and who, as a token of his visit, brought back a palm leaf, or a palm leaf folded into a cross...
begs a cup from a maid who is washing at the well, so that he could drink from. She says she has none. He says that she would have, if her lover came. She swore she had never had a lover. He says that she has borne nine babies and tells her where she buried the bodies. She begs some penance from him. He tells her that she will be transformed into a stepping-stone for seven years, a bell-clapper for seven, and spend seven years in hell.
In some variants, the children were incest
Incest
Incest is sexual intercourse between close relatives that is usually illegal in the jurisdiction where it takes place and/or is conventionally considered a taboo. The term may apply to sexual activities between: individuals of close "blood relationship"; members of the same household; step...
ously conceived.
Commentary
This ballad combines themes from the Biblical stories of the Samaritan woman at the well, and Mary Magdalene. In several foreign variants, the palmer is in fact Jesus.The ballad "The Cruel Mother
The Cruel Mother
"The Cruel Mother" is a murder ballad.-Synopsis:A woman gives birth to one or two illegitimate children in the woods, kills them, and buries them. On her return trip home, she sees a child, or children, playing, and says that if they were hers, she would dress them in various fine garments and...
", Child ballad 20, exists in a number of variants; one contains a number of verses that appear to stem from this one.
Recordings
- The Irish folk band PlanxtyPlanxtyPlanxty is an Irish folk music band formed in the 1970s, consisting initially of Christy Moore , Dónal Lunny , Andy Irvine , and Liam O'Flynn...
released a version on their album The Well Below the ValleyThe Well Below the Valley (album)The Well Below the Valley is the second album by the Irish folk group Planxty. It was released in 1973 and takes its title from the sixth song on the album, "The Well Below the Valley".-Track listing:#"Cúnla"#"Pat Reiley"...
(1973). - The folk-rock group Pyewackett played a version on their second album The Man in the Moon Drinks Claret (1982).
- A version of Well Below The Valley can also be found on Christy MooreChristy MooreChristopher Andrew "Christy" Moore is a popular Irish folk singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is well known as one of the founding members of Planxty and Moving Hearts...
's live album At The Point Live (1994). - The paganfolk band OmniaOmniaOmnia may refer to:* Omnia , PaganFolk band from the Netherlands* Omnia Township, Cowley County, Kansas* Omnia, a fictional nation in the Discworld universe* Omnia, a fictional realm in the Sudeki universe...
has released a version of the song called 'The Well' and is on their PaganFolk album (2006). - The folk band Brass Monkey recorded a version for their 1983 eponymous debut album.
- The wedding sequence that opens the film The Magdalene SistersThe Magdalene SistersThe Magdalene Sisters is a 2002 film written and directed by Peter Mullan about teenage girls who were sent to Magdalene Asylums, otherwise known as the 'Magdalene Laundries': homes for women who were labeled as "fallen" by their families or society...
features a rendition of this song performed by Pol McAdam. - Steeleye SpanSteeleye SpanSteeleye Span are an English folk-rock band, formed in 1969 and remaining active today. Along with Fairport Convention they are amongst the best known acts of the British folk revival, and were among the most commercially successful, thanks to their hit singles "Gaudete" and "All Around My Hat"....
recorded it on the album Live at Last (Steeleye Span album)
External links
- The Maid and the Palmer
- The Well Below the Valley, a variant