The Digital Tradition says "The Light Dragoon" is a version of Child #297, Earl Rothes. Can anybody tell me more about this song? "Light Dragoon" seems very modern to me, and I have a hard time tying it to Child 297. Seems to me it's more likely a version of "Trooper and the Maid," Child #299.
Enlightenment requested. See Reinhard Zierke's notes on The Light Dragoon / The Trooper and the Maid, and let's see if we can make some sense of all this.

-Joe-

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Here's the version Sylvia Herold has posted on her Website: THE LIGHT DRAGOON Well, a light dragoon came over the hill when the moon was shining clearly There was a little lady and she knew him by his horse, because she loved him dearly Dearly, so dearly There was a little lady and she knew him by his horse, because she loved him dearly Well, she’s taken him by the near-side rein, led him to the stable “Here’s hay and corn for your horse, young man, he can eat while he is able Able, so able Here’s hay and corn for your horse, young man, he can eat while he is able” Then she’s taken him by the lily-white hand, led him to the table “Here’s cakes and wine for you, my dear, you can drink now you are able Able, so able Here’s cakes and wine for you, my dear, you can drink now you are able” Well, she’s taken a bottle in her hand, poured out the wine so clearly “Here’s a health to yours and to mine” she said “Ain’t you welcome home my dearie Dearie, my dearie Here’s a health to yours and to mine” she said “Ain’t you welcome home my dearie” Then she’s gone upstairs to make his bed, make it soft and comfy How nimble she’s jumped into the bed for to see if it was easy Easy, so easy How nimble she’s jumped into the bed for to see if it was easy Then the light dragoon has come upstairs, threw his trousers on the table And how nimble he’s jumped into the bed for to do what he was able Able, so able And how nimble he’s jumped into the bed for to do what he was able Well, they’ve laid in bed and the clock struck one, the trumpets they were sounding Well, her spirits they were high and her belly it was low and she’s gone home to her mammy Mammy, her mammy Well, her spirits they were high and her belly it was low and she’s gone home to her mammy “Where have you been the live-long night?” inquired her anxious parents “Oh, I’ve been along with the light dragoon because I love him dearly Dearly, so dearly Oh, I’ve been along with the light dragoon because I love him dearly”

Here's the Digital Tradition text of the song. Any corrections? THE LIGHT DRAGOON The Light Dragoon came over the hill, The moon was shining clearly, There was a young woman, sure she new him by his horse, Because she loved him dearly. Dearly, so dearly There was a young woman, sure she knew him by his horse Because she loved him dearly She took him by the bridle and, She led him to the stable, Here's hay and oats for your horse young man, Let him eat while he is able. Able so able Here's hay and oats for your horse young man Let him eat while he is able She took him in her own white hand, And led him to the table, Here's cakes and wine for you my love, Eat and drink while you are able. Able so able Here's cakes and wine for you my love Eat and drink while you are able She ran upstairs to make the bed, To make it soft and easy, How nimbly she jumped into the bad, To see if it lay easy. Easy, so easy How nimbly she jumped into the bad To see if it lay easy The Light Dragoon he ran upstairs, Put off his army trousers, How nimble he jumped into the bed, To see if it lay easy. Easy, so easy How nimbly he jumped into the bad To see if it lay easy Oh there they lay 'til the cock did crow, And the trumpets they were sounding, With her spirits high and her belly low, She ran home to her mammy. Mammy, her mammy With her spirits high and her belly low She ran home to her mammy Now where have you been all this long night, Inquired her anxious parents, Oh I've been along of the Light Dragoon, Because I love him dearly. Dearly, so dearly Oh I've been along of the Light Dragoon Because I love him dearly Child #297 From singing of Mike Waterson @English @soldier @seduction filename[ LGHTDRAG AG apr97