Dalhousie University Archives

Nova Scotia Ballads

[Page 35]

The Cruel Knight. 1

A knight on horse-back reading from a Fate Book. As he passed a poor cottage, he read that a child to be born in that house was to be his wife. He was enraged. He rode by then returned when he had heard of the child and bough it to murder it. Threw it in the river. Picked up by a blacksmith out fishing and as his wife had no child, took it home to her. She grew up. Knight came, heard story from smith, took her aways and sent her to his brother with note to kill her. Thief get hold of note, changed contente to read “Take best care of her.” When, years after, knight found out, he was going to throw her into the river but she pleaded for mercy; he took a ring off his finger and tossed into sea. Said if he ever saw he again and she had not that ring he would kill her. She got work in an inn. Long after the knight came along. That morning while cleaning a fish she found the ring. When he accosted her she showed the rind. Her married her then.

[Page 36]
Cruel Knight(cont.)
When he saw the ring
He flew to her arms
And kissed her and swore
She had thousands of charms.
We'll go right away
And I'll make you my bride2
Notes
1
This ballad follows a very unconventional structure, as it consists of a block of text and two small stanzas.
2
No further information was found regarding this ballad.
Anonymous. Date: 2014-11-14