Blow, Ye Winds, Blow

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Lesley Nelson
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This ballad first appeared as "A proper new ballad entitled The Wind hath blown my Plaid away, or A Discourse betwixt a young Woman and the Elphin Knight." This was a black-letter ballad (broadside) that was printed circa 1670. In later variants the elfin knight is replaced by the devil.

This tune is an American variant of Child Ballad #2 (The Elfin Knight).

For a complete list of Child Ballads at this site see Francis J. Child Ballads.

Child collected twelve variants of the ballad (see links below for texts). They include The Wind Hath Blawn My Plaid Awa, The Elfin Knicht, The Fairy Knight, Lord John, The Cambrick Shirt, The Deil's Courtship and The Deil's Courting.

Scarborough Fair is also clearly a variant of this ballad.

There are tales with a similar story in such various places as Germany, Siberia, India and Tibet.

(He)
You must make me a fine Holland shirt,
Blow, blow, blow, ye winds, blow,
 And not have in it a stitch of needlework,
Blow, ye winds that arise, blow, blow.
(He)
You must wash it in yonder spring,
Blow, blow, blow, ye winds, blow,
 Where there's never a drop of water in,
Blow, ye winds that arise, blow, blow.
(He)
You must dry it on yonder thorn,
Blow, blow, blow, ye winds, blow,
 Where the sun never yet shone on
Blow, ye winds that arise, blow, blow.
(She)
My father's got an acre of land,
Blow, blow, blow, ye winds, blow,
 You must dig it with a goose quill,
Blow, ye winds that arise, blow, blow.
(She)
You must sow it with one seed,
Blow, blow, blow, ye winds, blow,
 You must reap it with your thumbnail,
Blow, ye winds that arise, blow, blow.
(She)
You must thrash it on yonder sea,
Blow, blow, blow, ye winds, blow,
 And not get it wet or let a kernel be,
Blow, ye winds that arise, blow, blow.
(She)
You must grind it on yonder hill,
Blow, blow, blow, ye winds, blow,
 Where there yet has ne'er stood a mill,
Blow, ye winds that arise, blow, blow.
(She)
When you're done and finished your work,
Blow, blow, blow, ye winds, blow,
 Bring it unto me and you shall have your shirt,
Blow, ye winds that arise, blow, blow.
Additional Versions
Related Links
From Folk Songs of Old New England and
The English and Scottish Popular Ballads
See Bibliography for full information.