Crow and Pie

Traditional song

Crow and Pie is Child ballad 111.[1] It is one of the oldest preserved ballads, dating to c. 1500. Pie is the now-obsolete original name for the magpie, a bird often connected with sorrow and misfortune. The crow is a scavenger, often thought of as feeding upon the bodies of men hanged or slain in battle, and thus associated with unhallowed and violent death.

## Contents

* 1 Synopsis
* 2 Motifs
* 3 Analysis
* 4 References
* 5 External links

## Synopsis[edit]

A man encounters a woman in the woods and tries to seduce her, first offering her his love, then a ring and a velvet purse. In each case she repulses him, saying "the crow shall byte yow" (bite you). He rapes her. She requests first that he marry her, then that he give her "some of your good" (representing either a token of the lover's identity, or the "nurse's fee" for raising a bastard child), and finally that he tell her his name. In each case he refuses her, saying "For now the pye hathe peckyd yow" (clearly a sexual metaphor). Finally, she curses him, saying that she will not despair and will "recouer my harte agayne" (recover my heart again). The ballad contains a warning to young women to be suspicious, and avoid being raped.

## Motifs[edit]

This ballad contrast with Child Ballad 5, Gil Brenton, where the woman is able to prove the identity of her child's father by the tokens he gave her.[2]

## Analysis[edit]

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This ballad shows the thin line that existed in early Medieval society between seduction and rape; in either case the lady was held to be guilty of a misdeed, and her ability to prove the man's identity (and his acknowledgment of the event, even if he did not marry her) was as important from both a legal and moral standpoint as whether or not she gave consent. Inability to identify the man was generally held to be sufficient proof that the lady had been indiscriminately promiscuous, probably with her social inferiors.

The request by the lady in Crow and Pie for some of her rapist's goods may seem mercenary by modern standards, but is quite understandable from a Medieval perspective. Money or a valuable token would indicate to the lady's parents (and her peers) that the man was not a serf, slave or beggar, and might serve as identification. In several other ballads a newly married woman avoids death at the hands of her husband, who has just discovered that she is with child, by producing a token left by her rapist; the token shows that the husband is the rapist, and he is therefore content.

Finally, Crow and Pie is unusual in that the lady, although angry and ashamed, is not despondent or suicidal and appears ready to resume her normal life.

## References[edit]

1. ^ Francis James Child, English and Scottish Ballads, "Crow and Pie"
2. ^ Francis James Child, The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, v 1, p 64-5, Dover Publications, New York 1965

## External links[edit]

* Crow and Pie

* v
* t
* e

Francis James Child

The Child Ballads|

* Alan-a-Dale
* Sir Aldingar
* Alison and Willie
* Allison Gross
* Andrew Lammie
* Archie o Cawfield
* Kinmont Willie Armstrong
* Auld Matrons
* Babylon
* The Baffled Knight
* The Bailiff's Daughter of Islington
* Barbara Allen
* The Battle of Otterburn
* The Beggar-Laddie
* Adam Bell
* The Bent Sae Brown
* Bessy Bell and Mary Gray
* Blancheflour and Jollyflorice
* The Bold Pedlar and Robin Hood
* Bonnie Annie
* The Bonnie Earl O' Moray
* Bonnie George Campbell
* Bonny Baby Livingston
* Bonny Bee Hom
* The Bonny Birdy
* The Bonny Hind
* The Bonnie House of Airlie
* The Bonny Lass of Anglesey
* Bonny Lizie Baillie
* The Boy and the Mantle
* Broom of the Cowdenknowes
* The Broomfield Hill
* Broughty Wa's
* Brown Adam
* The Brown Girl
* Brown Robin
* Brown Robyn's Confession
* Burd Ellen and Young Tamlane
* Burd Isabel and Earl Patrick
* Captain Ward and the Rainbow
* Captain Wedderburn's Courtship
* The Carnal and the Crane
* The Cherry-Tree Carol
* The Ballad of Chevy Chase
* Child Maurice
* Child Owlet
* Child Waters
* Christopher White
* Clerk Colvill
* Clerk Saunders
* The Clerk's Twa Sons o Owsenford
* The Crafty Farmer
* Crow and Pie
* The Cruel Brother
* The Cruel Mother
* The Daemon Lover
* The Death of Parcy Reed
* The Death of Queen Jane
* Dick o the Cow
* Dives and Lazarus
* The Dowie Dens o Yarrow
* Dugall Quin
* The Duke of Athole's Nurse
* The Duke of Gordon's Daughter
* Earl Brand
* Earl Crawford
* The Earl of Errol
* The Earl of Mar's Daughter
* Earl Rothes
* Edom o Gordon
* Edward
* The Elfin Knight
* Eppie Morrie
* Erlinton
* Fair Annie
* The Fair Flower of Northumberland
* Fair Janet
* Fair Margaret and Sweet William
* Fair Mary of Wallington
* The False Lover Won Back
* The Famous Flower of Serving-Men
* The Farmer's Curst Wife
* Fause Foodrage
* The Fause Knight Upon the Road
* The Friar in the Well
* The Gardener
* The Gay Goshawk
* Geordie
* The George Aloe and the Sweepstake
* A Gest of Robyn Hode
* Get Up and Bar the Door
* Gil Brenton
* Glasgerion
* Glasgow Peggie
* Glenlogie
* The Great Silkie of Sule Skerry
* The Grey Cock
* Gude Wallace
* Guy of Gisbourne
* The Raggle Taggle Gypsy
* Battle of Harlaw
* The Heir of Linne
* Hind Etin
* Hind Horn
* Hobie Noble
* Hughie Graham
* James Hatley
* Jamie Douglas
* Jellon Grame
* Jock o' the Side
* Jock the Leg and the Merry Merchant
* John Dory
* John of Hazelgreen
* Johnie Cock
* Johnie Scot
* Johnnie Armstrong
* The Jolly Beggar
* The Jolly Pinder of Wakefield
* Judas
* Katharine Jaffray
* The Keach i the Creel
* Kemp Owyne
* Kempy Kay
* King Arthur and King Cornwall
* King Edward the Fourth and a Tanner of Tamworth
* King Estmere
* King Henry
* King Henry Fifth's Conquest of France
* King John and the Bishop
* The King's Disguise, and Friendship with Robin Hood
* The King's Dochter Lady Jean
* Lang Johnny More
* The Kitchie-Boy
* The Knight and the Shepherd's Daughter
* The Knight's Ghost
* The Knoxville Girl
* The Lads of Wamphray
* Lady Alice
* Lady Diamond
* Lady Elspat
* Lady Isabel
* Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight
* Lady Maisry
* The Laily Worm and the Machrel of the Sea
* The Laird o Drum
* The Laird o Logie
* Lamkin
* The Lass of Roch Royal
* Leesome Brand
* Sir Lionel
* Little John a Begging
* Lizie Lindsay
* Lizie Wan
* The Lochmaben Harper
* Lord Ingram and Chiel Wyet
* Lord Lovel
* Lord Maxwell's Last Goodnight
* The Lord of Lorn and the False Steward
* Lord Randall
* Lord Saltoun and Auchanachie
* Lord Thomas and Fair Annet
* Lord Thomas and Lady Margaret
* Lord Thomas Stuart
* Lord William
* The Maid and the Palmer
* The Maid Freed from the Gallows
* The Marriage of Sir Gawain
* Mary Hamilton
* Matty Groves
* The Mermaid
* The Mother's Malison
* The New-Slain Knight
* The Noble Fisherman
* Northumberland Betrayed By Douglas
* Old Robin of Portingale
* Sir Orfeo
* Percy Folio
* Prince Heathen
* Prince Robert
* Proud Lady Margaret
* Queen Elanor's Confession
* The Queen of Elfan's Nourice
* The Queen of Scotland
* The Rantin Laddie
* Redesdale and Wise William
* Richie Story
* Riddles Wisely Expounded
* Robin Hood and Allan-a-Dale
* Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne
* Robin Hood and Little John
* Robin Hood and Maid Marian
* Robin Hood and Queen Katherine
* Robin Hood and the Beggar
* Robin Hood and the Bishop
* Robin Hood and the Bishop of Hereford
* Robin Hood and the Butcher
* Robin Hood and the Curtal Friar
* Robin Hood and the Golden Arrow
* Robin Hood and the Monk
* Robin Hood and the Pedlars
* Robin Hood and the Potter
* Robin Hood and the Prince of Aragon
* Robin Hood and the Ranger
* Robin Hood and the Scotchman
* Robin Hood and the Shepherd
* Robin Hood and the Tanner
* Robin Hood and the Tinker
* Robin Hood and the Valiant Knight
* Robin Hood Newly Revived
* Robin Hood Rescuing Three Squires
* Robin Hood Rescuing Will Stutly
* Robin Hood's Birth, Breeding, Valor, and Marriage
* Robin Hood's Chase
* Robin Hood's Death
* Robin Hood's Delight
* Robin Hood's Golden Prize
* Robin Hood's Progress to Nottingham
* Robyn and Gandeleyn
* The Rose of England
* Rose the Red and White Lily
* Saint Stephen and Herod
* Sheath and Knife
* Sir Cawline
* Sir James the Rose
* Sir Patrick Spens
* The Suffolk Miracle
* The Sweet Trinity
* Sweet William's Ghost
* Tam Lin
* Thomas o Yonderdale
* Thomas the Rhymer
* The Three Ravens
* Tom Potts
* A True Tale of Robin Hood
* The Twa Brothers
* The Twa Magicians
* The Twa Sisters
* The Unquiet Grave
* Walter Lesly
* The Wee Wee Man
* The West Country Damosel's Complaint
* The White Fisher
* The Whummil Bore
* The Wife of Usher's Well
* The Wife Wrapt in Wether's Skin
* Will Stewart and John
* Willie and Earl Richard's Daughter
* Willie and Lady Maisry
* Willie o Douglas Dale
* Willie o Winsbury
* Willie's Fatal Visit
* Willie's Lady
* Willie's Lyke-Wake
* The Wylie Wife of the Hie Toun Hie
* Young Andrew
* Young Beichan
* Young Benjie
* The Young Earl of Essex's Victory over the Emperor of Germany
* Young Hunting
* Young Johnstone
* Young Peggy
* Young Ronald
* Young Waters

Operas|

* Il pesceballo

Related|

* List of the Child Ballads
* "The Crabfish"

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