Ducks on the Pond

"Ducks on the Pond", sometimes called "Lady of the Lake" is an old-time breakdown in A Major ('A' part) & A Mixolydian ('B' part) [Brody], A Mixolydian [Krassen] or A Dorian (Johnson, Songer). The parts are played AABB.
The melody was learned by most modern sources, including West Virginia fiddler Oscar Wright, from Glen Lyn, Virginia, fiddler Henry Reed (d. 1968). The tonality varies depending on the source for the tune, but dorian mode versions seem to have persisted. Bayard (1981) identifies this tune as belonging to the "Paddy on the Turnpike". family of tunes.
It was published by George P. Knauff in his Virginia Reels, volume III (Baltimore, 1839), under the title "Lady of the Lake". There are many tunes called "Lady of the Lake". The one I have in this collection is not similar to this tune. The reel is not related to the similarly titled "Ducks on the Millpond" although there is sometimes confusion between the two. It is perhaps related to the Patrick County, Va., version of "Grey Eagle". and Owen "Snake" Chapman's "Rock Andy".
The banjo tablature is by John Letscher. His comment:

I believe I first heard and learned this tune from The Hollow Rock String Band.

It was printed in Brody's Fiddler's Fakebook (1983), Johnson's The Kitchen Musician No. 2: Occasional Collection of Old-Timey Fiddle Tunes for Hammer Dulcimer, Fiddle, etc. (1982) (revised 1988 & 2003), Krassen's Appalachian Fiddle (1973) and Songer's Portland Collection (1997).
It was recorded by Alan Jabbour on Sandy's Fancy, Red Clay Ramblers on Red Clay Ramblers (1974), Gerry Milnes (et al) on Gandydancer, Reed Island Rounders on Wolves in the Wood (1997) and Oscar and Eugene Wright on Old-Time Fiddle.