“The Miller's Will (The Miller's Three Sons)”

Description

The dying miller, to decide which of his three sons will inherit, asks each boy how much he would charge. The first son would take an honest toll; the second, half; the last, all and swear to the sack. The miller joyfully gives the mill to the last son

Broadsides

• Bodleian, Harding B 5(7), "The Miller's Advice to His Three Sons, in Taking of Toll," W. and C. Dicey (London) , 1736-1763; also Douce Ballads 4(44), "The Miller's Advice to His Three Sons, in Taking of Toll"

Recordings

• Horton Barker, "The Miller's Will" (on Barker01)
• Jumbo Brightwell, "The Derby Miller" (on Voice14)
• Carson Brothers & Sprinkle, "The Old Miller's Will" (OKeh 45398, 1929; on TimesAint01)
• Margaret MacArthur, "New Hampshire Miller" (on MMacArthur01)
• New Lost City Ramblers, "The Miller's Will" (on NLCR04)

References

1. Laws Q21, "The Miller's Will (The Miller's Three Sons)"
2. Belden, pp. 244-246, "The Miller and his Three Sons" (3 texts)
3. Randolph 359, "There Was an Old Miller" (4 texts plus an excerpt, 3 tunes)
4. Randolph/Cohen, pp. 126-129, "There Was an Old Miller" (1 text, 1 tune -- Randolph's 91D)
5. Eddy 61, "The Dishonest Miller" (2 texts, 2 tunes)
6. Gardner/Chickering 98, "The Dying Miller" (1 text, 1 tune)
7. BrownII 177, "The Miller and His Three Sons" (2 text plus 5 excerpts and mention of 3 more)
8. Chappell-FSRA 106, "The Miller" (1 fragment)
9. Scarborough-SongCatcher, pp. 240-242, "The Miller's Advice to His Three Sons, on Taking of Toll" (2 texts, both called "The Old Miller"; 2 tunes on p. 419)
10. JHCoxIIB, #18A-B, pp. 163-165, "The Miller and His Sons," "The Miller" (1 text plus a fragment, 1 tune)
11. Creighton/Senior, pp.234-236 , "The Miller of Derbyshire" (1 text, 1 tune)
12. Creighton-NovaScotia 94, "The Miller" (1 text, 1 tune)
13. SharpAp 161, "The Miller's Will" (2 texts, 2 tunes)
14. Sharp/Karpeles-80E 56, "The Miller's Will" (1 text, 1 tune)
15. Kennedy 232, "The Miller's Last Will" (1 text, 1 tune)
16. Stokoe/Reay, pp. 58-59, "The Miller and His Sons" (1 text, 1 tune)
17. Cohen/Seeger/Wood, pp. 80-81, "The Miller's Will" (1 text, 1 tune)
18. Chase, pp. 144-145, "The Miller's Will" (1 text, 1 tune)
19. Botkin-NEFolklr, pp. 546-547, "The Miller's Three Sons" (1 text, 1 tune)
20. JHCox 155, "The Dishonest Miller" (3 texts plus mention of six more, 1 tune)
21. Darling-NAS, pp. 149-151, "The Miller's Will" (1 text)
22. Silber-FSWB, p. 120, "The Miller" (1 text)
23. BBI, ZN2524, "There was a miller who had three sons"
24. DT 348, MILLWILL MILLWIL2 MILLWIL3*
25. Roud #138
26. BI, LQ21