English and other Versions 19. King Orfeo
[There are two known English texts from the 1800s; Child A from the singing of Andrew Coutts and the Lyle text, titled "King Orpheus" (my No. 2) which has 21 couplets with interleaved refrain. The Lyle text was originally printed in The Shetland News, 25 August 1894, where it was described as having been noted from oral recitation by Bruce Sutherland at Gloup fishing station, North Yell, in 1865. Lyle quotes it from Patrick Shuldham-Shaw, 'The Ballad "King Orfeo," ' in Scottish Studies 20, 1976, 124-6.
There are two traditional British versions that have been collected: 1. John Stickle in Baltasound in 1947 and 2. Kitty Anderson in Shetland in 1955
R. Matteson 2012]
CONTENTS:
1) King Orfeo- Coutts (Shetland) 1880 Child A
2) King Orpheo- Sutherland (North Yell) 1865
3) King Orfeo- John Stickle (Baltasound) 1947
4) King Orfeo- Anderson (Shetland) 1955
5) King Orfeo- Andrew Calhoun; 2003