Hi,

Steve the version posted by Lighter of Hamish Henderson's "Ballads of World War II" is a version of Maiden's Prayer - a local Yorkshire ballad.

Now all you maidens sweet and kind,
Just bear in mind a soldier's love is hard to find.
So when you've found one good and true,
Don't change the old love for a new.

I've traced it to 1933 as sung by US Airmen.

THE MAIDEN'S PRAYER (Died for Love) Tune from Harold Sykes of Hessle. Collected in 1974 from Mrs. Doreen Cross of Hessle. East Riding of Yorkshire, England

1. A maiden young and fair was she,
Not born of high society,
A sailor young and bold was he,
The cause of all her misery.

2. A man came home from work one night,
And found his house without a light;
He went upstairs to go to bed,
When a sudden thought came into his head.

3. He went into his daughter's room,
And found her hanging from a beam;
He took a knife and cut her down,
And on her breast this note he found,

4. My love was for a sailor boy,
Who sailed across the deep blue sea,
I often wrote and thought of him,
But he never wrote or thought of me.

5. Oh, Lord, I wish my babe was born,
Then all my troubles would be gone,
For I could never bear the shame,
To have a babe without a name.

6. So dig my grave and dig it deep,
And place white lilies at my feet,
And at my head please lay a dove,
To signify I died for love.

7. So all ye maidens bear in mind,
A sailor's love is hard to find,
But if you find one that is true,
Don't change an old love for the new.

Anyone have more info?

Richie