'That numerous 'Child ballads', now forgotten in their countries of origin except by specialised scholars, are still current in mountain regions of the southern United States and in other obscure rural regions, is well known to all students of American folksongs. That certain 'old Australian bush songs', notably 'Jack Donahue', 'Van Diemen's Land', and 'The Wild Colonial Boy', have, or have had, some currency in the United States is also probably a reasonably familiar fact. But that three texts of an important 'Australian bush ballad', now entirely extinct upon its native heath, were collected in the United States within the last half-century has so far received no attention.'  (Publication abstract)