Annotation:King of the Fairies (The)
X:1 T: King of the Fairies, The M:C| L:1/8 R:Hornpipe K:Edor |:B,|EDEF GFGA|B2B2 G3A|B2E2 EFGE |FGFE DE ((3FED)| EDEF GFGA|BAGB d3=c|B2E2 GFED|E2 ED E3:| B|e2e2 Bdef|gagf e3f|e2B2 BABc|dedc Bc d/c/B| e2B2 Bdef|gagf efed|Bdeg fedf|e2 ed e3f | g3e f3d|edBc d3e|dBAF GABc|dBAF GFED| B,2E2 EFGA|B2e2 edef|e2B2 BAGF | E2 ED E3|]
THE KING OF THE FAIRIES (Rí na Sideog). AKA and see Bonny Charlie (1), King William of Orange, Briton's Glory, Rí na Sideog, Lonesome Wedding (The), Your Old Wig is the Love of My Heart, Scollay's Reel."
"King of the Fairies" appears to be derived from a Jacobite tune called "Bonny Charlie (1)," appearing in many 18th century Scots and Northern English publications, such as Aird (1783). "King William of Orange" is a British title for the melody, while "Briton's Glory" is Glasgow Highland bagpiper, pipe teacher and pipe-maker William Gunn's adaptation of the tune as a pipe quick step.
The set dance was collected in Ireland c. 1840 by John Edward Pigot (published by P.W. Joyce in Old Irish Folk Music and Songs, 1909, No. 690) under the title "Your old wig is the love of my heart." Collector George Petrie also had it as an untitled air (Stanford/Petrie, Complete Collection, No. 1281), and it appears as "Lonesome Wedding (The)" in Frank Roches' third volume (1927). The tune is played by Cape Breton fiddlers with the Irish title ("King of the Fairies"), but as a march. Shetland fiddler John Scollay was recorded in the 1950's by Pat Shuldham-Shaw playing a reel setting of the tune, now known as "Scollay's Reel," popularized in America in the last quarter of the 20th century by John McCutcheon and New England contra dance musicians.
One tale attached to the tune (albeit perhaps a modern piece of 'blarney', as there is no folkloric connection) has it that "The King of the Fairies" is a summoning tune, and if played three times in a row during a festivity the King must appear. Once summoned, however, the King assesses the situation, and if the gathering is to his liking he may join in; if however, he does not find it to his liking he may cause great mischief.
