Generous Farmer and the Poor Soldier, The

DESCRIPTION: A farmer stops a lame soldier. He invites him in for food and beer. The soldier eats, drinks, and tells how his comrades were lost in battle. The farmer says, "This brave fellow shall ne'er want a morsel of bread For he's one that has guarded our land"
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: before 1832 (broadside, Bodleian 2806 c.17(196))
KEYWORDS: virtue poverty war help farming drink food hardtimes injury patriotic soldier
FOUND IN: Britain(England(South))
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Williams-FolkSongsOfTheUpperThames, pp. 239-240, "The Poor Wounded Soldier" (1 text) (also Williams-Wiltshire-WSRO Wt 379)
ADDITIONAL: The Universal Songster or Museum of Mirth (London, 1834 ("Digitized by Google")), Vol III, pp. 229-230, "He's One Who Has Guarded Our Land" ("A jolly old farmer once soaking his clay") (1 text)
Roud #1305
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, 2806 c.17(196), "Jolly Old Farmer" ("A jolly old farmer sat soaking [sic] his clay"), W. Wright (Birmingham), 1820-1831; also Firth b.25(479), "Jolly Old Farmer"; 2806 c.16(267), 2806 c.16(317), 2806 c.16(267), "The Generous Farmer", Johnson Ballads 832, Harding B 11(237A), "The Generous Farmer" or "Poor Soldier"; Harding B 25(720), "The Generous Farmer and the Poor Soldier"; Firth b.26(325), Harding B 11(3970), Harding B 15(153a), Harding B 15(153a), "Jolly Old Farmer Smoking His Clay"
File: WT239A

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