Lovely Joan

Von Williams used the tune in an interlude from one of his own operas, and later shaped it into this Fantasia.

In the middle section, another folk song, Lovely Joan, quietly appears.

Carried on the sound of the harp, it flows gently, like a breeze crossing a green meadow.

Thoughts drifting toward far-off greensleeves.

This version came from another fisherman, a man called Christopher Jay, from the village of Achill.

The words and music of this version of Lovely Joan were published in the Penguin Book of English Folk Songs in 1959, which was edited by Vaughan Williams and Burt Lloyd.

But it was the first time the words of this particular version were printed in full.

Now, George Sansom from Granny's Attic writes, The offending verse is almost certainly this one.

And you can actually hear his soul leaving his body when she gets the last word.

And it serves him right.

The fine young man in Lovely Joan is bent on seduction, but he uses his wealth to entice his prey.

A golden ring could be a windfall of several months' pay for an agricultural worker.