Jock the Leg and the Merry Merchant is
Child ballad 282. The ballad tells of a merchant who defends himself from a thief. The story is similar to those of Robin Hood, except that the merchant does not join the band of thieves.
Synopsis
Jock the Leg and a merchant meet. As they come across a tavern-house, Jock tries to get him to pay his way. In the middle of the night, Then Jock wakes him and tells him they should be on their way. The merchant says he cannot go by
Barnisdale or
Coventry
Coventry ( or ) is a city in the West Midlands, England. It is on the River Sherbourne. Coventry has been a large settlement for centuries, although it was not founded and given its city status until the Middle Ages. The city is governed b ...
, fearing Jock will rob him. Jock says he will protect him, though he eventually tries to rob the merchant. The two fight until bloody, and Jock persuades him to let him blow his horn. This summons his 24
bowmen. The merchants challenges them. If six bowmen and Jock fight him and are able to get him one foot from his pack, he will give it to them. The merchant grabs the pack, wields a
broadsword
The basket-hilted sword is a sword type of the early modern era characterised by a basket-shaped guard that protects the hand. The basket hilt is a development of the quillons added to swords' crossguards since the Late Middle Ages.
In m ...
, and defeats all seven. Jock invites the merchant to have him join them. Refusing to join the "robber-band," the merchant parts, promising to call Jock a thief if they ever meet again.
Commentary
This story matches many
Robin Hood
Robin Hood is a legendary heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature and film. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions of the legend, he is dep ...
ballads, in which Robin meets and fights a stranger. Unlike Robin, Jock's summoning his men with his horn does not end the fray, and the stranger rejects his invitation.
See also
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List of the Child Ballads
The Child Ballads is the colloquial name given to a collection of 305 ballads collected in the 19th century by Francis James Child
Francis James Child (February 1, 1825 – September 11, 1896) was an American scholar, educator, and folklorist, ...
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Scottish mythology
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English folklore
English folklore consists of the myths and legends of England, including the English region's mythical creatures, traditional recipes, urban legends, proverbs, superstitions, and folktales. Its cultural history is rooted in Celtic, Christia ...
References
External links
''Jock the Leg and the Merry Merchant''
Child Ballads
Border ballads
Northumbrian folklore
Anglo-Scottish border
Year of song unknown
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