“Beautiful Susan”
Description
Susan's parents take advantage of her sweetheart William's absence to inform her that he is dead. They arrange a marriage to another man. William's letter announcing his return drives her to suicide. William sees her ghost and also kills himself
Notes
Another song Laws lists as traditional, and British, even though only one version is known: The American one from the Brown collection. - RBW
Cross references
- cf. "The Damsel's Tragedy" (theme)
References
- Laws M29, "Beautiful Susan"
- BrownII 69, "Beautiful Susan" (1 text)
- DT 721, BEAUTSU
- Roud #1022
- BI, LM29