The Plough Boy In Luck

By Walter Crane

Ballad
1.     My daddy is dead, but I can't tell you how;     He left me six horses to follow the plough;     With my whim wham waddle ho!     Strim stram straddle ho!     Bubble ho! pretty boy, over the brow. 2.     I sold my six horses to buy me a cow;     And wasn't that a pretty thing to follow the plough?     With my, &c. 3.     I sold my cow to buy me a calf,     For I never made a bargain but I lost the best half.     With my, &c. 4.     I sold my calf to buy me a cat,     To sit down before the fire to warm her little back.     With my, &c. 5.     I sold my cat to buy me a mouse,     But she took fire in her tail and so burnt up my house.     With my, &c.

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Poem Details

Language: English
Keywords: Public Domain
Source: Public Domain Collection
Rights/Permissions: Public Domain
Analysis & Notes:
This poem is a vivid narrative piece with a strong emphasis on progression and transformation. Its main theme deals with the cycle of life and death, and the inevitability of change, starting with the death of the narrator's father and ending with the destruction of their home. The tone is quite melancholic, albeit with a touch of dark humor, emphasizing the absurdity of life's unexpected turns.

The structure of the poem is rhythmic and repetitive, using an ABCB rhyme scheme in each stanza and a repeated refrain. This creates a sing-song quality that is reminiscent of nursery rhymes, adding a layer of irony to the serious themes the poem explores. The use of colloquial language and sound devices, such as onomatopoeia and alliteration in the refrains ("whim wham waddle ho! Strim stram straddle ho!"), serve to enhance the playful, rhythmic quality of the poem, while also emphasizing the nonsensical nature of the narrator's decisions and their unfortunate outcomes. The progression from horses to a mouse symbolizes the narrator's continuous downgrade in life, while the final event, a mouse causing the burning of the house, illustrates the dramatic and ironic nature of life's unpredictability.

Understanding Ballads

A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music, that has been a cornerstone of storytelling across various cultures. Traditionally passed down orally, ballads are known for their rhythmic structure and often tell tales of love, adventure, and heroism.

Ballads are characterized by their strong rhythm and repetition, making them both memorable and engaging. Here are some defining features:

  • Narrative Structure: Ballads typically tell a story, often a dramatic or emotional tale that unfolds in a straightforward, chronological order.
  • Quatrain Stanzas: Most ballads are composed of quatrains (four-line stanzas) with a rhyme scheme of ABAB or ABCB, which adds to the musicality of the verse.
  • Repetition: Refrains or repeated lines are common in ballads, helping to emphasize key themes or emotions and making the ballad easier to remember.
  • Oral Tradition: Many ballads originated from oral traditions, which means they were passed down through generations by word of mouth before being written down.

From medieval minstrels to contemporary songwriters, ballads have continued to evolve, remaining a beloved form of expression that captures the human experience in a way that is both poetic and accessible.