She was only...

[Laurence Horn]

dInIs wonders:

>Is "She was only the farmer's daughter, but all the horsemen knew
>her" the Ur-form of this subgenre?
>

It certainly is for me, based on how long ago I heard it from my
mother.  But that would have been somewhat after 1939, so I can't
supply a relevant antedate.

L

>OED does not list this word.
>>
>>  1922 W. H. D. Rouse _Chanties in Greek and Latin: Written for Ancient
>>  Traditional Airs_ (Oxford: B. Blackwell) (_title_).
>>
>>  1939 Elliot Paul _Mysterious Mickey Finn_ (rpt. N.Y.: Collier, 1962)
>>  225: Hjalmar Jansen was roaring a chanty as he spun the wheel. 'She
>>  was only a poet's daughter, / But she never was averse.' "
>>
>>  JL