Synopsis

A great king had a daughter (Lady Diamond, Daisy, Dysmal, or Dysie), who fell in love with his kitchen boy. She became pregnant. Her father demands to know the father, and she tells him. He has the kitchen boy secretly murdered, but then, in most variants, brings his heart to his daughter. She dies. In most variants, the king laments the deaths.

Variants

The story is derived from that of Ghismonda and Guiscardo from The Decameron

The Decameron

The Decameron, also called Prince Galehaut is a 14th-century medieval allegory by Giovanni Boccaccio, told as a frame story encompassing 100 tales by ten young people....

of Giovanni Boccaccio

Giovanni Boccaccio

Giovanni Boccaccio was an Italian author and poet, a friend, student, and correspondent of Petrarch, an important Renaissance humanist and the author of a number of notable works including the Decameron, On Famous Women, and his poetry in the Italian vernacular...

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Steeleye Span

Steeleye 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"....

 recorded a version on their 1986 album Back in Line

Back in Line

Back in Line is an album by the electric folk band Steeleye Span.This album, the band's 12th, was released in 1986, after a hiatus of almost 6 years. It was their first album without founding member Tim Hart, who quit the music business entirely...

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The 2011 debut album by Bryony Griffith & Will Hampson of The Demon Barbers

The Demon Barbers

The Demon Barbers are an English folk band who predominantly draw on traditional material for their repertoire while fusing traditional folk instruments with drums and electric bass guitar...

is entitled "Lady Diamond" and features a recording of the ballad.