Weaver's Daughter (I), The

DESCRIPTION: Singer is smitten by a weaver's daughter. He proposes. She demurs; her late mother taught her to wed for love not gold, and that her aged, blind father's heart would break. She vows that she and her father will not be separated until he lies in the grave
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: before 1839 (broadside, Bodleian 2806 c.17(455))
LONG DESCRIPTION: Singer meets, and is smitten by, a poor weaver's daughter. He proposes, saying he will make her a rich lady. She demurs, saying her late mother taught her to wed for love, not for gold, and that her aged, blind father's heart would be broken. She vows that she and her father will not be separated until he lies in the grave
KEYWORDS: courting love rejection weaving family father mother money
FOUND IN: Britain(England(Lond,South))
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Williams-FolkSongsOfTheUpperThames, pp. 191-192, "The Weaver's Daughter" (1 text) (also Williams-Wiltshire-WSRO Gl 76)
Roud #1277
RECORDINGS:
George Maynard, "The Weaver's Daughter" (on Maynard1, Voice05)
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, 2806 c.17(455), "The Weaver's Daughter" ("Across the fields one sweet May morn"), J. Catnach (London), 1813-1838; also Harding B 11(2017), "The Weaver's Daughter"
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The Squire and the Gipsy" (theme)
NOTES [71 words]: This sounds like the first half of the story. - PJS
I agree (and might even suggest "Doctor Stafford and the Weaver's Daughter" as the sequel), though there are several possible further courses for the narrative (she changes her mind, the father dies, the father dies but the suitor has changed his mind, the suitor murders the father, etc.). But there are songs where the story ends here, such as "The Squire and the Gipsy." - RBW
Last updated in version 3.2
File: RcWeaDau

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