The Queer, the Quaint and the Quizzical

The Oldest Ballad

The earliest English ballad is supposed to be the “Cuckoo Song,” which commences in the following style:—

“Sumer is incumen in
 Lhude sing cuccu,
 Groweth sed, and bloweth med,
 And sprigth ye wede nu,
   Singe cuccu.”