Leesome Brand
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/38px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png)
Leesome Brand is Child Ballad number 15[1] and Roud #3301.
Synopsis
Leesome Brand went to court when ten years old. An eleven-year-old girl fell in love with him, but nine months later, called on him to saddle horses, take her dowry, and flee with her. They headed to his mother's house, but she went into labour on the way. He went off to hunt, but violated a prohibition she laid on him, either not to hunt a milk-white hind, or to come running when called, and she and his son died. He went home and lamented this to his mother.
Some variants stop there. In others, the mother gave him a horn with ointment that restored them both to life.
Variants
Francis James Child described this ballad as particularly ill-preserved in its Scottish form, requiring consulting foreign variants even to be sure of the plot.[2] One of its variants was so corrupted as to be barely distinguishable from "Sheath and Knife", Child Ballad 16, which laments a death in the same language.[3]
The foreign variants of this ballad include Scandinavian, German, and French forms.[4]
The heroine's difficulty riding, because of her advanced pregnancy, also features in some Scandavian variants of "Gil Brenton".[5]
"Willie o Douglas Dale" and "Willie and Earl Richard's Daughter" include similar flights, of the lovers, with the woman being pregnant and giving birth in the woods, although with altered endings.[6]
See also
References
- ^ Francis James Child, English and Scottish Popular Ballads, "Leesome Brand"
- ^ Francis James Child, The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, v 1, p 177, Dover Publications, New York 1965
- ^ Francis James Child, The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, v 1, p 178, Dover Publications, New York 1965
- ^ Francis James Child, The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, v 1, p 179-81, Dover Publications, New York 1965
- ^ Francis James Child, The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, v 1, p 66, Dover Publications, New York 1965
- ^ Francis James Child, The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, v 2, p 412, Dover Publications, New York 1965
- v
- t
- e
- Sir Aldingar
- Alison and Willie
- Allison Gross
- Andrew Lammie
- Archie o Cawfield
- Kinmont Willie
- Auld Matrons
- Babylon
- The Baffled Knight
- The Bailiff's Daughter of Islington
- Barbara Allen
- The Battle of Otterburn
- The Beggar-Laddie
- Adam Bell
- The Bent Sae Brown
- Bessy Bell and Mary Gray
- Blancheflour and Jollyflorice
- The Bold Pedlar and Robin Hood
- Bonnie Annie
- The Bonnie Earl O' Moray
- Bonnie George Campbell
- Bonny Baby Livingston
- Bonny Bee Hom
- The Bonny Birdy
- The Bonny Hind
- The Bonnie House of Airlie
- The Bonny Lass of Anglesey
- Bonny Lizie Baillie
- The Boy and the Mantle
- Broom of the Cowdenknowes
- The Broomfield Hill
- Broughty Wa's
- Brown Adam
- The Brown Girl
- Brown Robin
- Brown Robyn's Confession
- Burd Ellen and Young Tamlane
- Burd Isabel and Earl Patrick
- Captain Ward and the Rainbow
- Captain Wedderburn's Courtship
- The Carnal and the Crane
- The Cherry-Tree Carol
- The Ballad of Chevy Chase
- Child Maurice
- Child Owlet
- Child Waters
- Christopher White
- Clerk Colvill
- Clerk Saunders
- The Clerk's Twa Sons o Owsenford
- The Crafty Farmer
- Crow and Pie
- The Cruel Brother
- The Cruel Mother
- The Daemon Lover
- The Death of Parcy Reed
- The Death of Queen Jane
- Dick o the Cow
- Dives and Lazarus
- The Dowie Dens o Yarrow
- Dugall Quin
- The Duke of Athole's Nurse
- The Duke of Gordon's Daughter
- Earl Brand
- Earl Crawford
- The Earl of Errol
- The Earl of Mar's Daughter
- Earl Rothes
- Edom o Gordon
- Edward
- The Elfin Knight
- Eppie Morrie
- Erlinton
- Fair Annie
- The Fair Flower of Northumberland
- Fair Janet
- Fair Margaret and Sweet William
- Fair Mary of Wallington
- The False Lover Won Back
- The Famous Flower of Serving-Men
- The Farmer's Curst Wife
- Fause Foodrage
- The Fause Knight Upon the Road
- The Friar in the Well
- The Gardener
- The Gay Goshawk
- Geordie
- The George Aloe and the Sweepstake
- A Gest of Robyn Hode
- Get Up and Bar the Door
- Gil Brenton
- Glasgerion
- Glasgow Peggie
- Glenlogie
- The Great Silkie of Sule Skerry
- The Grey Cock
- Gude Wallace
- The Raggle Taggle Gypsy
- Battle of Harlaw
- The Heir of Linne
- Hind Etin
- Hind Horn
- Hobie Noble
- Hughie Graham
- James Hatley
- Jamie Douglas
- Jellon Grame
- Jock o' the Side
- Jock the Leg and the Merry Merchant
- John Dory
- John of Hazelgreen
- Johnie Cock
- Johnie Scot
- Johnnie Armstrong
- The Jolly Beggar
- The Jolly Pinder of Wakefield
- Judas
- Katharine Jaffray
- The Keach i the Creel
- Kemp Owyne
- Kempy Kay
- King Arthur and King Cornwall
- King Edward the Fourth and a Tanner of Tamworth
- King Estmere
- King Henry
- King Henry Fifth's Conquest of France
- King John and the Bishop
- The King's Disguise, and Friendship with Robin Hood
- The King's Dochter Lady Jean
- Lang Johnny More
- The Kitchie-Boy
- The Knight and the Shepherd's Daughter
- The Knight's Ghost
- The Knoxville Girl
- The Lads of Wamphray
- Lady Alice
- Lady Diamond
- Lady Elspat
- Lady Isabel
- Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight
- Lady Maisry
- The Laily Worm and the Machrel of the Sea
- The Laird o Drum
- The Laird o Logie
- Lamkin
- The Lass of Roch Royal
- Leesome Brand
- Sir Lionel
- Little John a Begging
- Lizie Lindsay
- Lizie Wan
- The Lochmaben Harper
- Lord Ingram and Chiel Wyet
- Lord Lovel
- Lord Maxwell's Last Goodnight
- The Lord of Lorn and the False Steward
- Lord Randall
- Lord Saltoun and Auchanachie
- Lord Thomas and Fair Annet
- Lord Thomas and Lady Margaret
- Lord Thomas Stuart
- Lord William
- The Maid and the Palmer
- The Maid Freed from the Gallows
- The Marriage of Sir Gawain
- Mary Hamilton
- Matty Groves
- The Mermaid
- The Mother's Malison
- The New-Slain Knight
- The Noble Fisherman
- Northumberland Betrayed By Douglas
- Old Robin of Portingale
- Sir Orfeo
- Prince Heathen
- Prince Robert
- Proud Lady Margaret
- Queen Elanor's Confession
- The Queen of Elfan's Nourice
- The Queen of Scotland
- The Rantin Laddie
- Redesdale and Wise William
- Richie Story
- Riddles Wisely Expounded
- Robin Hood and Allan-a-Dale
- Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne
- Robin Hood and Little John
- Robin Hood and Maid Marian
- Robin Hood and Queen Katherine
- Robin Hood and the Beggar
- Robin Hood and the Bishop
- Robin Hood and the Bishop of Hereford
- Robin Hood and the Butcher
- Robin Hood and the Curtal Friar
- Robin Hood and the Golden Arrow
- Robin Hood and the Monk
- Robin Hood and the Pedlars
- Robin Hood and the Potter
- Robin Hood and the Prince of Aragon
- Robin Hood and the Ranger
- Robin Hood and the Scotchman
- Robin Hood and the Shepherd
- Robin Hood and the Tanner
- Robin Hood and the Tinker
- Robin Hood and the Valiant Knight
- Robin Hood Newly Revived
- Robin Hood Rescuing Three Squires
- Robin Hood Rescuing Will Stutly
- Robin Hood's Birth, Breeding, Valor, and Marriage
- Robin Hood's Chase
- Robin Hood's Death
- Robin Hood's Delight
- Robin Hood's Golden Prize
- Robin Hood's Progress to Nottingham
- Robyn and Gandeleyn
- The Rose of England
- Rose the Red and White Lily
- Saint Stephen and Herod
- Sheath and Knife
- Sir Cawline
- Sir James the Rose
- Sir Patrick Spens
- The Suffolk Miracle
- The Sweet Trinity
- Sweet William's Ghost
- Tam Lin
- Thomas o Yonderdale
- Thomas the Rhymer
- The Three Ravens
- Tom Potts
- A True Tale of Robin Hood
- The Twa Brothers
- The Twa Magicians
- The Twa Sisters
- The Unquiet Grave
- Walter Lesly
- The Wee Wee Man
- The West Country Damosel's Complaint
- The White Fisher
- The Whummil Bore
- The Wife of Usher's Well
- The Wife Wrapt in Wether's Skin
- Will Stewart and John
- Willie and Earl Richard's Daughter
- Willie and Lady Maisry
- Willie o Douglas Dale
- Willie o Winsbury
- Willie's Fatal Visit
- Willie's Lady
- Willie's Lyke-Wake
- The Wylie Wife of the Hie Toun Hie
- Young Andrew
- Young Beichan
- Young Benjie
- The Young Earl of Essex's Victory over the Emperor of Germany
- Young Hunting
- Young Johnstone
- Young Peggy
- Young Ronald
- Young Waters
![]() | This folk song–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- v
- t
- e