“Nancy Dawson”
Description
"There lived a lass in yonder glen, Wham auld and young did brawly ken." Nancy Dawson's parents would wed her to "the laird o Mucklegear," ancient Bauldy Lawson. She loves a young man; the wedding is set, but she flees with her love
Notes
There is a (feeble) poem by Herbert P. Horne called "Nancy Dawson"; they are unrelated. It may be that this piece inspired that, however; at least, the name "Nancy Dawson" was well enough known that one of the ships involved in the Franklin search was named _Nancy Dawson_. And it can't be named after the Horne poem; Horne wasn't born until 1864.
Linscott says that "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush" and "Gathering Nuts in May" use the tune "Nancy Dawson." That does not appear to be this song; though no tune seems to have been recorded, the stanza forms don't match. - RBW
Cross references
- cf. "John of Hazelgreen [Child 293]" (plot)
References
- Ford-Vagabond, pp. 71-75, "Nancy Dawson" (1 text)
- Roud #6717
- BI, FVS071