Iron Door, The [Laws M15]

DESCRIPTION: When the rich girl falls in love with a poor boy, her father locks her in a iron-doored prison. Her lover breaks in and sneaks her out (in men's clothing), but they meet her father. The boy prepares to die, but the father gives in
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: before 1867 (broadside, Bodleian Firth c.18(240))
KEYWORDS: love prison escape mercy father
FOUND IN: Britain(England(South,Lond),Scotland(Aber)) Ireland Canada(Mar,Newf) US(NE)
REFERENCES (16 citations):
Laws M15, "The Iron Door"
Greig/Duncan5 1003, "Mary and her Servant Man" (3 texts, 1 tune)
Copper-SongsAndSouthernBreezes, pp. 220-221, "Her Servant Man" (1 text, 1 tune)
Williams-Wiltshire-WSRO Mi 610, "Twas of a Damsel Fair and Handsome" (1 text)
Palmer-FolkSongsCollectedBy-Ralph-VaughanWilliams, #104, "The Young Servant Man" (1 text, 1 tune)
Broadwood-EnglishTraditionalSongsAndCarols, pp. 38-39, "The Young Servant Man or The Two Affectionale Lovers" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud/Bishop-NewPenguinBookOfEnglishFolkSongs #69, "The Daughter in the Dungeon" (1 text, 1 tune)
Henry/Huntingdon/Herrmann-SamHenrysSongsOfThePeople H668, pp. 444-445, "Love Laughs at Locksmiths" (1 text, 1 tune)
OLochlainn-MoreIrishStreetBallads 61, "The Young Serving Man" (1 text, 1 tune)
Tunney-WhereSongsDoThunder, pp. 100-101, "Mary Ann" (1 text)
Kennedy-FolksongsOfBritainAndIreland 161, "The Iron Door" (1 text, 1 tune)
Flanders/Ballard/Brown/Barry-NewGreenMountainSongster, pp. 17-19, "Mountain Song" (1 text, 1 tune)
Peacock, pp. 590-591, "Since Love Can Enter an Iron Door" (1 text, 1 tune)
Creighton-SongsAndBalladsFromNovaScotia 84, "Since Love Can Enter an Iron Door" (1 text, 1 tune)
Creighton-MaritimeFolkSongs, p. 54, "Since Love Can Enter an Iron Door" (2 texts, 1 tune)
DT 580, IRONDOOR
Roud #539
RECORDINGS:
Lily Cook, "The Iron Door" (on FSBFTX15)
Mrs. Thomas Walters, "Since Love Can Enter an Iron Door" (on PeacockCDROM) [one verse only]
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, Firth c.18(240), "Mary Ann and Her Servant Man" ("It's of a damsel both fair and handsome"), J. Harkness (Preston), 1840-1866; also Harding B 11(2338), 2806 b.11(22), "Mary Ann and Her Servant Man"; Harding B 11(2339), "Mary Ann, and Her Servan [sic] Man"
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Locks and Bolts" [Laws M13] (theme: girl locked away by father) and references there
cf. "cf. "Behind the Cold Iron Door" (themes: girl locked away by father, iron door)
ALTERNATE TITLES:
The Daughter in the Dungeon
Since Love Can Enter an Iron Door
NOTES [62 words]: I'm sure it's not related, but it's interesting to note that Johannes Gutenberg (yes, that Gutenberg) was once involved with a girl named Ennelin zur Yserin Thüre (in modern German, Annalein zur Eiseren Tür, or Little Anna of the Iron Door). Ennelin, or her mother, was apparently after him for breach of promise of marriage. (Source: John Man, Gutenberg, pp. 57-59). - RBW
Last updated in version 5.0
File: LM15

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