The Grey Mare by Sabine Baring-Gould
The narrative follows a miller named Roger who is enamored with a farmer's daughter, Katherine, known for her beauty and charm. Roger seeks the farmer's permission to court Katherine, expressing his desire for both her hand in marriage and the farmer's prized grey mare. The farmer, however, is willing to give his daughter but refuses to part with the mare, leading Roger to abandon his pursuit of Katherine, as the mare is a condition he deems essential. As time passes, Roger encounters Katherine again, now older and reflecting on their past. He reminisces about his courtship and the grey mare, while Katherine humorously points out that she does not recall him ever courting her, only the grey mare. This exchange highlights the absurdity of Roger's priorities and the passage of time, emphasizing the theme of unfulfilled desires and the folly of valuing material possessions over genuine relationships. The work employs a light-hearted tone, using repetition and rhyme to create a whimsical narrative that critiques societal norms surrounding courtship and marriage.
By Sabine Baring-Gould · First published 1902 · Genre: Folk Poetry, Romantic Comedy, Narrative Poetry · 533 words
First lines
C. J. S. [Music]
1. Young Roger, the Miller, went courting of late A farmer's sweet daughter called Beautiful Kate; Now Kitty was buxom, and bonny and fair, Had plenty of humour, of frolic a share, And her father possessed an uncommon grey mare, A grey mare, a grey mare, An uncommon grey mare.
What this Textopian page supports
The Grey Mare is listed on Textopian as a short story by Sabine Baring-Gould, dated 1902 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Sabine Baring-Gould
- Date: 1902 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Folk Poetry, Romantic Comedy, Narrative Poetry, Pastoral, Humor
- Length: 533 words
- Structure: 1 section, 7 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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Discussion starters
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Genres
- Folk Poetry — The poem reflects traditional folk themes and storytelling, focusing on courtship and rural life.
- Romantic Comedy — The humorous and light-hearted nature of the courtship scenario aligns with romantic comedy elements.
- Narrative Poetry — The poem tells a story through verse, characteristic of narrative poetry.
- Pastoral — The setting and characters are rooted in rural life, typical of pastoral literature.
Tags
poetry · romance · courtship · humor · folk song · narrative · love · agriculture · animals · tradition · character study · nostalgia