The other ballads may be arranged as follows, having regard chiefly to the catastrophe. #B#, Kolberg, No 5, #oo#: #C#, #rr#: #D#, #ccc#: #E#, #dd#: #F#, #uu#: #G#, #ww#: #H#, #t#: #I#, #u#: #J#, #gg#: #K#, #mm#: #L#, Wac[/l]aw z Oleska, p. 483, 2, Kolberg, #p#: #L*#, Koz[/l]owski, Lud, p. 33, No IV: #M#, Wojcicki, I, 234, Kolberg, #r#: #N#, Wojcicki, I, 82, Kolberg, #s#: #O#, Kolberg, #d#: #P#, _ib._ #f#: #Q#, #pp#: #R#, Wojcicki, I, 78, Kolberg, #e#: #S#, Kolberg, #l#: #T#, _ib._ #n#: #U#, Pauli, Pje[/s][/n]i ludu Polskiego w Galicyi, p. 92, No 6, Kolberg, #q#: #V#, Kolberg, #y#: #W#, Wojcicki, II, 298, "J. Lipi[/n]ski, Pie[/s]ni ludu Wielkopolskiego, p. 34," Kolberg, #ee#; #X#, Kolberg, #a#: #Y#, _ib._ #z#: #Z#, #aa#: #AA#, #qq#: #BB#, #w#; #CC#, #ddd#: #DD#, #m#: #EE#, #c#: #FF#, #o#: #GG#, [/l][/l]: #HH#, #ss#: #II#, #ii#: #JJ#, #ff#: #KK#, #tt#: #LL#, #i#: #MM#, #g*#. In #B-K# the woman comes off alive from her adventure: in #O-CC#, she loses her life: in #L-N# there is a jumble of both conclusions: #DD-MM# are incomplete.[57]
The story of the larger part of these ballads, conveyed as briefly as possible, is this: John, who is watering horses, urges Catherine,[58] who is drawing water, to elope with him. He bids her take silver and gold enough, that the horse may have something to carry. Catherine says her mother will not allow her to enter the new chamber. Tell her that you have a headache, says John, and she will consent. Catherine feigns a headache, is put into the new chamber, and absconds with John while her mother is asleep.[59] At a certain stage, more commonly at successive stages,--on the high road, #K#, #P#, #S#, #DD#, #II#, #LL#, in a dark wood, #D#, #P#, #T#, #X#, #Z#, #DD#, #EE#, at a spring, #D#, #K#, #S#, #T#, #V#, #W#, #X#, #Y#, #Z#, #EE#, #II#, #LL#, etc.,--he bids her take off, or himself takes from her, her "rich attire," #D#, #P#, #T#, #V#, #W#, #X#, #Y#, #Z#, #DD#, #EE#, her satin gown, #D#, #T#, #X#, #DD#, #EE#, her French or Turkish costume, #K#, #P#, #II#, robes of silver, #K#, shoes, #Z#, #CC#, #FF#, silk stockings, #T#, corals, #D#, #X#, #CC#, #EE#, pearls, #T#, rings, #K#, #O-T#, #X#, #Z#, #CC-FF#, #II#, #LL#. In many of the ballads he tells her to go back to her mother, #B-G#, #K#, #L*#, #M#, #N#, #Q#, #S#, #U#, #X#, #Y#, #EE#, #HH-LL#, sometimes after pillaging her, sometimes without mention of this. Catherine generally replies that she did not come away to have to go back, #B#, #C#, #D#, #G#, #L*#, #M#, #S#, #U#, #X#, #Y#, #EE#, #HH#, #JJ#, #KK#, #LL#. John seizes her by the hands and sides and throws her into a deep river [pool, water, sea]. Her apron [tress, #AA#, #II#, both apron and tress, #O#, petticoat, #KK#] is caught on a stake or stump of a tree, #B#, #C#, #G#, #H#, #I#, #O#, #P#, #R#, #T#, #U#, #V#, #W#, #Y#, #BB#, #DD#, #EE#, #II#, #JJ#, #KK# [in a bush #D#]. John cuts it away with axe or sword, #G#, #I#, #O#, #R#, #T#, #BB#, #II#, #JJ#. She cries to him for help. He replies, "I did not throw you in to help you out,"[60] #B#, #C#, #F#, #P#, #U#, #V#, #W#, #X#, #Z#, #EE#, #II#. Catherine is drawn ashore in a fisherman's net [swims ashore #I#, #J#, #GG#].