"Sheath and Knife" (Roud 3960,[1] Child 16) is a folk ballad.[2]

Synopsis

A woman is pregnant with her brother's child. He takes her to the greenwood to have her child, but she dies (or he kills her at her request). He buries her and laments her death.

Variants

"Leesome Brand", Child ballad 15, is closely related to this ballad, and some variants are hard to distinguish;[3] the hero laments the death in the same language as "Sheath and Knife".

Other ballads on this theme include "The Bonny Hind", "The King's Dochter Lady Jean", and "Lizie Wan".[4]

Versions

See also

References

  1. ^ "Sheath and Knife; Or, Leesome Brand". Roud Folksong Index (S319654). Vaughan Williams Memorial Library. Retrieved Nov 17, 2015.
  2. ^ Francis James Child, English and Scottish Popular Ballads "Sheath and Knife"
  3. ^ Francis James Child, The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, v 1, p 178, Dover Publications, New York 1965
  4. ^ Francis James Child, The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, v 1, p 185, Dover Publications, New York 1965