Bladder Pipe - in Literature

In Literature

An allusion to the bladder pipe occurs in an old English ballad:

Eight shepherds were playing on various instruments: "The fyrst hed ane drone bagpipe, the next hed ane pipe maid of ane bleddir and of ane reid, the third playit on ane trump."

This excerpt suggests the early English bladder pipe retained a distinct form, and did not become merged with the bagpipe.