the medieval ballad

a for-line stanza is used

a refrain: a repeated line or group of lines

often rhyming ABCB

presents supernatural creatures like:

fairies

ghosts

witches

can be classified according the following themes:

ballad of magic, about supernatural creatures

border ballad, about the rivalry between English and Scottish people

ballad of love and domestic tragedy

allad od outllaws, with the cycle of Robin Hood

has no moral aim

it tells a dramatic story

with a series of rapid flashes

the language is simple

there is a mixture of dialogue and narration