Dives and Lazarus (ballad)
Encyclopedia
Dives and Lazarus is Child ballad 56, and a Christmas carol. Francis James Child
collected two variants, in The English and Scottish Popular Ballads. It is based on the parable of the Rich man and Lazarus (also called "Dives and Lazarus" and found in ), but the story contains some miraculous elements, and has its emphasis slightly changed from the more traditionally Jewish to a more popularly Western Christian
view of the afterlife.
As in other popular renderings of the parable, Dives (Latin for rich or splendid) was considered as a proper name, and the name even was changed to Diverus in variant B.
As both men die angels fetch Lazarus to heaven, and serpents take Dives to hell. In version A, Dives asks Lazarus for a drop of water, and complains about his eternal punishment.
It is the basis of Ralph Vaughan Williams
' composition Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus and was also arranged by him as a hymn tune
"Kingsfold", to which two sets of lyrics are commonly sung: "O sing a song of Bethlehem," and "I heard the voice of Jesus". Loreena McKennitt
also uses the tune for an arrangement of The Seven Joys of Mary
on her album A Midwinter Night's Dream.
Francis James Child
Francis James Child was an American scholar, educator, and folklorist, best known today for his collection of folk songs known as the Child Ballads. Child was Boylston professor of rhetoric and oratory at Harvard University, where he produced influential editions of English poetry...
collected two variants, in The English and Scottish Popular Ballads. It is based on the parable of the Rich man and Lazarus (also called "Dives and Lazarus" and found in ), but the story contains some miraculous elements, and has its emphasis slightly changed from the more traditionally Jewish to a more popularly Western Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
view of the afterlife.
As in other popular renderings of the parable, Dives (Latin for rich or splendid) was considered as a proper name, and the name even was changed to Diverus in variant B.
Synopsis
The rich man Dives or Diverus makes a feast. The poor man Lazarus comes to Dives' door and repeatedly begs 'brother Dives' to give him something to eat and drink. Dives answers that he is not the brother of Lazarus, denies Lazarus food and drink, and sends his servants to whip him and his dogs to bite him. However, the servants are unable to whip Lazarus, and the dogs lick his sores instead of biting him.As both men die angels fetch Lazarus to heaven, and serpents take Dives to hell. In version A, Dives asks Lazarus for a drop of water, and complains about his eternal punishment.
Versions
The tune is used for numerous other folk songs in various regions:- "The Star of the County DownStar of the County Down"Star of the County Down" is an old Irish ballad set near Banbridge in County Down, in Ireland. The words are by Cathal McGarvey, 1866-1927, from Ramelton, County Donegal...
" (IrelandIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
) - "Gilderoy" (ScotlandScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
) - "The Thresher"
- "The Unquiet GraveThe Unquiet Grave"The Unquiet Grave" is an English folk song in which a young man mourns his dead love too hard and prevents her from obtaining peace. It is thought to date from 1400 and was collected in 1868 by Francis James Child, as Child Ballad number 78....
" - "The Fighting 69th (United States)
- "The Murder of Maria Martin" (Norfolk)
- "If You Could Hie to KolobKolobKolob is a star or planet described in Mormon scripture. Reference to Kolob is found in the Book of Abraham, a work published by Latter Day Saint prophet Joseph Smith, Jr. According to this work, Kolob is the heavenly body nearest to the throne or residence of God...
" (Latter-Day Saint/Mormon Hymn)
It is the basis of Ralph Vaughan Williams
Ralph Vaughan Williams
Ralph Vaughan Williams OM was an English composer of symphonies, chamber music, opera, choral music, and film scores. He was also a collector of English folk music and song: this activity both influenced his editorial approach to the English Hymnal, beginning in 1904, in which he included many...
' composition Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus and was also arranged by him as a hymn tune
Hymn tune
A hymn tune is the melody of a musical composition to which a hymn text is sung. Musically speaking, a hymn is generally understood to have four-part harmony, a fast harmonic rhythm , and no refrain or chorus....
"Kingsfold", to which two sets of lyrics are commonly sung: "O sing a song of Bethlehem," and "I heard the voice of Jesus". Loreena McKennitt
Loreena McKennitt
Loreena Isabel Irene McKennitt, CM, OM, is a Canadian singer, composer, harpist, accordionist and pianist who writes, records and performs world music with Celtic and Middle Eastern themes. McKennitt is known for her refined, clear soprano vocals...
also uses the tune for an arrangement of The Seven Joys of Mary
The Seven Joys of Mary (carol)
"The Seven Joys of Mary" is a traditional carol about Mary's happiness at moments in the life of Jesus, probably inspired by the trope of the Seven Joys of the Virgin in the devotional literature and art of Medieval Europe...
on her album A Midwinter Night's Dream.
Renderings
Variant A was published asExternal links
- Both variants
- Words & music to Variant A at the Cyber Hymnal