King Henry (song)
Encyclopedia
"King Henry" is Child ballad 32.
It is a version of the tale of the loathly lady
. This form of the tale appears in Hrólfr Kraki's saga and also in the Scottish tale, The Daughter Of King Under-Waves
. A similar bride is found in "The Marriage of Sir Gawain
".
included it in the 1972 album Below the Salt
.
Martin Carthy
also recorded a version, currently available on The Carthy Chronicles: A Journey Through the Folk Revival disk 4 'Child:Carthy'
It is a version of the tale of the loathly lady
Loathly lady
The loathly lady is a common literary device used in medieval literature, most famously in Geoffrey Chaucer's The Wife of Bath's Tale. The motif was prominent in Celtic mythology and to a lesser extent Germanic mythology, where the lady often represented the sovereignty of the...
. This form of the tale appears in Hrólfr Kraki's saga and also in the Scottish tale, The Daughter Of King Under-Waves
The Daughter Of King Under-Waves
The Daughter Of King Under-Waves is a Scottish fairy tale collected by John Francis Campbell in Popular Tales of the West Highlands. He listed as his source Roderick MacLean, a tailor of Ken Tangval, Barra, who reported hearing it from old men in South Uist, including Angus Macintyre, Bornish,...
. A similar bride is found in "The Marriage of Sir Gawain
The Marriage of Sir Gawain
"The Marriage of Sir Gawain" is an English Arthurian ballad, collected as Child Ballad 31. Found in the Percy Folio, it is a fragmented account of the story of Sir Gawain and the loathly lady, which has been preserved in fuller form in the medieval poem The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnelle...
".
Versions
Steeleye SpanSteeleye Span
Steeleye Span are an English folk-rock band, formed in 1969 and remaining active today. Along with Fairport Convention they are amongst the best known acts of the British folk revival, and were among the most commercially successful, thanks to their hit singles "Gaudete" and "All Around My Hat"....
included it in the 1972 album Below the Salt
Below the Salt
Below the Salt is a 1972 album by Steeleye Span, and considered by many fans to be one of their best. The album has a slightly medieval theme, most notably in the artwork and title...
.
Martin Carthy
Martin Carthy
Martin Carthy MBE is an English folk singer and guitarist who has remained one of the most influential figures in British traditional music, inspiring contemporaries such as Bob Dylan and Paul Simon and later artists such as Richard Thompson since he emerged as a young musician in the early days...
also recorded a version, currently available on The Carthy Chronicles: A Journey Through the Folk Revival disk 4 'Child:Carthy'