“The Laboring Man's Daughter (The Knight's Dream)”

Description

A nobleman dreams of a beautiful girl. After seven years' searching he finds her, a poor laboring-man's daughter. He tells her he has seen her only in a dream, but is confident she will not deny him. He takes out a ring and proposes. (They happily marry)

Supplemental text

Laboring Man's Daughter, The (The Knight's Dream)
  Partial text(s)

          *** A ***

The Knight and the Labourman's Daughter

From Kenneth Peacock, Songs of the Newfoundland Outports, Volume II,
pp. 422-423. Sung by Freeman Bennett, St. Paul's, July 1958.

'Tis of a rich knight who dreamed a dream,
'Bout one that was beautifully featured;
No rest could he take, but some journey to make
To England to see that fair creature.

(6 additional stanzas)

Long description

A nobleman's son dreams of "the beautiful-est girl in the nation." After seven years' searching he finds her, a poor laboring-man's daughter. He tells her he has only seen her once, as she lay by him in a dream, but he is confident she will not deny him. She asks what is his desire, that he's so afraid of denial; "Although I am poor, no scorn I'll endure/Do not put me under any such trial." He takes out a ring and proposes. (She worries that his parents will look down on her; he replies that they are both dead, and his friends will not object. They marry and are happy)

Notes

I'm not certain "A Cornish Young Man" is the same song, but Kennedy lumps it in. - PJS

Cross references

• cf. "Queen Among the Heather" (plot)

References

1. Kennedy 132, "The Labouring Man's Daughter" (1 text, 1 tune)
2. Peacock, pp. 540-541, "The Knight and the Labourman's Daughter" (1 text, 1 tune)
3. ST K132 (Partial)
4. Roud #595
5. BI, K132