In Irish Gaelic, this translates as 'Fair Mary'.īaring-Gould commented that there is some similarity to Celtic legends about 'The Swan Maidens'. Polly wears a white apron, and has a name which usually sounds like 'Mailí Bhán'. Is he found guilty of murder or not? Would he be guilty of poaching? The emphasis on Polly's fair skin, and the reaction of all the girls of the county has led most commentators to suggest that there is a supernatural element. We are not told of the outcome of the trial. In some versions there is no scene of guilty confession and no ghost. Since the fairest girl in the county has died the girls are said to be glad of her death. The narrator imagines all the women of the county standing in a line, with Polly shining out among them as a 'fountain of snow'. The night before Polly's funeral, her ghost appears to confirm his version of the events. He should stay and tell the court that it was an honest mistake. Returning home, he reports his mistake to his uncle and is advised not to run away. To his horror he discovers he has killed his true love, Polly Vaughn, sheltering from the rain. Usually this is described as being in the evening or by moonlight in the rain. 'About this title' may belong to another edition of this title.' Polly Vaughn' is an Irish folk-song ( Roud 166, Laws O36).Ī man, sometimes called Johnny Randle, goes out hunting for birds. 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. 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.

Polly Vaughn by Barry Moser