Polly Vaughn by Barry Moser5/12/2023 ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() "About this title" may belong to another edition of this title. Helen Gregory, Grosse Pointe Public Library, MIĬopyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. Complete words and music would have been a plus, but all those who enjoy a romantic ghost story will never forget Polly Vaughn. The traditional ballad came from England and Ireland where it was known as ``Molly Bawn.'' Moser quotes two lines from one version in his afterword. The redheaded lovers are not pretty, just real, almost breathing. Artistic in every way, the illustrations, layout, print, even the paper are an experience in fine bookmaking. Dark watercolor character studies are typical of Moser's impeccable style. Modern scholars have little doubt that in fact Polly Vaughan is a fine relic of a very ancient ballad concerning one of those magic maidens, familiar in folklore, who are girls by day light but swans (or white does) after sunset, and are tragically hunted and killed by brother or lover. After a few cloying kidbits and countryisms, such as ``kinleygarten,'' ``chile,'' ``Jimmer,'' he lets the story, as good stories will, tell itself. Moser fleshes out an Appalachian ballad with full characters and a vivid setting. Polly's ghost is the only one to defend Jimmy and the lovers are reunited only in death. A week before their wedding day, mistaking his bride for a deer, Jimmy accidentally kills her and is brought to trial for murder. Grade 4 Up- Montagues and Capulets, Hatfields and McCoys, Randalls and Vaughns: echoing literary history, Jimmy Randall proposes to childhood sweetheart Polly Vaughn, despite a longstanding family feud. ![]()
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