3 SEPTEMBER 1983, Page 17

Clear advice

Sir: Roy Kerridge (27 August) has got his Old ballads slightly confused. In 'The 'Ad Woman (not the Wife) from Wexford', the astonishing advice on how to drown your husband is not confined to 'young housewives'. It's another Irish song, 'Maids When you're Young' that singles out young women for advice. What it warns them against, in no uncertain terms, is marrying an old man for, as the song has it, 'He's got no faloodoorum, fal diddle day'. is I hope this matter is now clear. t:enny Perrick

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