[Ads-l] "Katy, bar the door" (1872-1887)

[Laurence Horn]

> On Feb 7, 2016, at 1:26 PM, Peter Reitan <pjreitan at HOTMAIL.COM> wrote:
> 
> Interesting.  There is a specific connection between the 1841 poem from The Mirror, with "Kate bar the creaking door," and the 1858 song, "Up and Bar the Door."
> 
> The 1858 song begins, "It fell about the Martinmas time . . ."
> The 1841 poem includes the line, "'twas at the time of Martinmas . . ." (and two other references to Martinmas).
> 
> The stories are otherwise not very similar - the 1841 poem is about a grim murder and the years-later suicide by the conscience-stricken murder.
> 
> The 1858 song is a comedic song about a lazy couple, neither of whom want to lock the door.

laziness and/or stubbornness.
Here's the corresponding Child ballad 275, in three Scottish versions (one of which sets it at Martinmas):
http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/ch275.htm

LH
> 
> 
> 
>> Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2016 10:22:11 +0000
>> From: peter_morris_1 at BLUEYONDER.CO.UK
>> Subject: "Katy, bar the door" (1872-1887)
>> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>> 
>> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> Poster:       Peter Morris <peter_morris_1 at BLUEYONDER.CO.UK>
>> Subject:      "Katy, bar the door" (1872-1887)
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> 
>> I found this poem. Published in The Mirror,=20
>> Feb 6 1841.
>> 
>> It may or  may not be relevant.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> The Old Smithy (A Farm-house tale)=20
>> 
>> The snw is drifting on the ground,=20
>> And loud the east wind roars ;=20
>> Come, men and maidens, hie you in ;=20
>> Kate, bar those creaking doors.=20
>> 
>> Call in the dogs, rouse up the fire ;=20
>> And, mistress, do you hear ?=20
>> Heat us a jug of elder wine,=20
>> For the night is chill and drear.=20
>> 
>> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__tinyurl.com_z5n3jc5&d=AwIFAw&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=wFp3X4Mu39hB2bf13gtz0ZpW1TsSxPIWYiZRsMFFaLQ&m=D1b6gmNFk77kQ2VaEF-GZ4NIZYxpCOuX6yEcTxHUW54&s=BDJ4QBjlhOynqqGXQwhW_sRGDrNjpeJdUORGV_3HkhU&e= 
>> 
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