Dark Knight, The

DESCRIPTION: The knight courts "a lass all neat and fair" and takes her home, where she bears him six(?) sons and three daughters. He then kills the children. "She did not live another dawn," whereupon he seeks another bride
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1952 (Brown)
KEYWORDS: homicide family madness children knight husband wife
FOUND IN: US(SE)
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Brown/Belden/Hudson-FrankCBrownCollectionNCFolklore2 59, "The Dark Knight" (1 text)
ST BrII059 (Full)
Roud #6526
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The Lawson Murder (Charlie Lawson)" [Laws F35] (plot)
NOTES [67 words]: The notes in Brown show some signs of suspicion of this piece, found in the collection but with no indication of source; it also has some Scottish word forms they find unlikely. But it also shows clear signs of tradition.
There is also the question of source. The editors thought the story sounded familiar -- but couldn't locate it. I find the very lyrics familiar -- but I can't locate it either. - RBW
File: BrII059

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