She was only...

[paulzjoh]

What about
She was as pure as the driven snow
until she drifted"
>
> >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