Davie Faa
Track Information
Original Track ID
SA1960.167.A1
Original Tape ID
Summary
In this song, a Traveller is given permission to spend the night in a farmer's barn, and manages to seduce the farmer's daughter during the night. Before he leaves, she demands to know his name, which he tells her is Davie Faa. Nine months later, she gives birth to his child, who is given his father's name. The girl's father looks for a husband for her, and she marries a local farmer.
Item Notes
9 verses of 4 lines; some hesitation in last two verses. This variation on Child 279 'The Jolly Beggar' substitutes a Traveller for the usual nobleman in disguise. Sung to a tune variant commonly known from the song 'A Pair o Nicky Tams'.
See:
'Scottish Studies' 16 (1972) pp. 152-153
'Folksongs of Britain & Ireland' (P. Kennedy, 1975) p. 419
'Traditional Tunes of the Child Ballads' vol. 4 (B. H. Bronson & F. J. Child, 1959) p. 223
'Jeannie Robertson: Emergent Singer, Transformative Voice' (J. Porter & H. Gower, 1995) pp. 147-149
Item Subject/Person
Faa, Davie
Recording Location
County - Aberdeenshire
Parish - Old Deer
Village/Place - Fetterangus
Language
Scots
Genre
Collection
Source Type
Reel to reel
Audio Quality
Good