Bonnie Hind, The [Child 50]

DESCRIPTION: A sailor, new come from the sea, sees a girl and sleeps with her. After the deed is done, they exchange names, only to find they are brother and sister. The sister stabs herself; the brother buries her and goes home grieving
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1771 (Herd)
KEYWORDS: incest death seduction mourning suicide grief
FOUND IN: Britain(Scotland)
REFERENCES (3 citations):
Child 50, "The Bonnie Hind" (1 text)
Friedman-Viking/PenguinBookOfFolkBallads, p. 172, "The Bonny Hind" (1 text)
DT 50, BONNYHND
Roud #205
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The King's Dochter Lady Jean" [Child 52] (plot)
cf. "Sheath and Knife" [Child 16] (plot, lyrics)
cf. "Babylon, or, The Bonnie Banks o Fordie" [Child 14] (plot)
cf. "Lizie Wan" [Child 51] (theme)
NOTES [60 words]: Friedman-Viking/PenguinBookOfFolkBallads states that the only recorded collection of this song was from a Scottish milkmaid in 1771. -PJS
On the scientific evidence that brothers and sisters raised apart are particularly likely to fall in love, and some further speculation as to why, see the notes to "Babylon, or, The Bonnie Banks o Fordie [Child 14]." - RBW
File: C050

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Song List

Go to the Ballad Index Instructions
Go to the Ballad Index Bibliography or Discography