our fortune to be makin' we was thinkin'

[timeripple]

Okay everybody, I'm calling on your expertise. I'm looking for books in which ballads in general are important, or in which specific ballads play important roles and/or form the plot. May be fantasy, sci-fi, general fiction, whatever. I've come up with a few:

Tam Lin - Pamela Dean
The Perilous Gard - Elizabeth Marie Pope
Winter Rose - Patricia McKillip
Thomas the Rhymer - Ellen Kushner

Others? And which ballads are used?

For serious academic research purposes, of course. No, really, because this 'origins of science and philosophy' thing isn't working.

Comments

[alycarlson.livejournal.com]

Hmm...well, The Perilous Gard uses a lot of ballads that are central to the plot, but I don't know their names in particular. I'll try to think of others. :)

Abby

[timeripple.livejournal.com]

Tam Lin is the main one, although Randall is composing The Swan Swims Sae Bonny at the end, and I don't know what he sings at the beginning. I love that book - I think it introduced me to Tam Lin.

[kayselkiemoon.livejournal.com]

*grins* a favorite subject of mine!

in terms of retellings, you got the ones that spring to mind for me at first. also, check out the tam lin balladry (if you haven't already) and this terri windling article (honesttogod, i adore this woman). I wrote more, but windling's article has them all and more!

"reynardine" is found in Neil Gaiman's "The White Road" *shiver*
"twa' sisters" is found in Pat Wrede's "Cruel Sister" (or some similar name)

golly, I've just skimmed the Windling article tonight (am still at lisa's so should get off the computer) but as usual she has me dying to be able to be able to know all she knows, to have listened to all the discussions she has had... *grin*

[timeripple.livejournal.com]

Knew I could count on you. ;)