Long Lankin is the bogeyman of the Child Ballads. A mysterious figure who lives in the moss (or the gorse, or the hay), he is known as a bloodthirsty murderer. But what’s the full story? Explore the origins of the horror-filled ballad in this Halloween episode of Folk Files.

Host: Olivia Harding

Support Folk Files: https://www.patreon.com/c/FolkFilesPodcast

Musical excerpts:

ARTIST: The Wainwright Sisters

WORK: Long Lankin

SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8vzCkJJlSQ

ARTIST: Steeleye Span

WORK: Long Lankin

SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74Rw1SVfa_U

ARTIST: Martin Carthy

WORK:  Long Lankin

SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlYuv1ZUsZ0

ARTIST: George Fradley

WORK: Lankin

SOURCE: https://youtu.be/yrEuzBE0uTs?si=aIpFgzidrF7YGpnN

ARTIST: Geordie McIntyre

WORK: Lamkin

SOURCE: https://youtu.be/LQF9M1Omrfs?si=d0yAQwvibFAIDLeQ

ARTIST: Alasdair Roberts & Friends

WORK: Long Lankin

SOURCE: https://youtu.be/es-bKUVLtUE?si=yxV9vFgzZoMpPPVC

ARTIST: Lisa Knapp

WORK: Long Lankin

SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zahxuV3H9Sk

ARTIST: John Jacob Niles

WORK: Who Killed Cock Robin?

SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-_lfkMQGPs

ARTIST: Frank Proffitt

WORK: Bo Lamkin

SOURCE: https://youtu.be/G6MLv__s_cU?si=9kG2WJSa1F0fZ1dg