Miller of Dee facts for kids

Quick facts for kids "The Jolly Miller"
The weir on the River Dee in Chester
Song
Published	1762
Genre	Folk song
Songwriter(s)	Traditional

The Jolly Miller is a very old and popular folk song from the Chester area in northwest England. It is also known as "The Miller of the Dee" or "There Was a Jolly Miller Once." This song tells the story of a happy miller who lives by the River Dee and enjoys his life without many worries.

The song first appeared in a play called Love in a Village in 1762, written by Isaac Bickerstaffe. Over time, other poets created their own versions of the song, adding new ideas and words.

The city of Chester is located on the River Dee. A special wall, called a weir, was built across the river a long time ago, during the Middle Ages. This weir helped keep the water level high so that several water mills on the riverbanks could work properly.

The River Dee starts high up in the mountains of Snowdonia, Wales, near a place called Dduallt. It then flows into the Dee Estuary near Chester. The English name "Dee" comes from its Welsh name, Afon Dyfrdwy. In Latin, it was called Deva.

The Music of the Jolly Miller

The song is usually sung to a Welsh harp tune called Llydaw. This tune means "Brittany" in Welsh. Many famous British composers have created their own musical versions of this tune.

Composers and Their Settings

One well-known composer, Benjamin Britten, included the tune in his collection of folk-song arrangements in 1947. Another composer, Roger Quilter, featured his version in the Arnold Book of Old Songs in 1950. Even the famous composer Beethoven created a version of the song in 1819 for three singers and a piano trio.

Many versions for choirs also exist, including one by John Rutter. In 1962, Havergal Brian wrote a fun orchestral piece based on the tune, called a comedy overture.

Original Song from 1762

This is the first version of "The Jolly Miller" from Isaac Bickerstaffe's play, Love in a Village, published in 1762. It shows the miller's happy and carefree attitude.

There dwelt a miller, hale and bold, beside the river Dee;

He danced and sang from morn till night, no lark so blithe as he;

And this the burden of his song forever used to be: -

"I care for nobody, no not I, if nobody cares for me.

"I live by my mill, God bless her! she's kindred, child, and wife;

I would not change my station for any other in life;

No lawyer, surgeon, or doctor e'er had a groat from me;

I care for nobody, no not I if nobody cares for me."

When spring begins his merry career, oh, how his heart grows gay;

No summer's drought alarms his fear, nor winter's cold decay;

No foresight mars the miller's joy, who's wont to sing and say,

"Let others toil from year to year, I live from day to day."

Thus, like the miller, bold and free, let us rejoice and sing;

The days of youth are made for glee, and time is on the wing;

This song shall pass from me to thee, along the jovial ring;

Let heart and voice and all agree to say, "Long live the king."

Lyrics: A Popular Version

This version of the song was published in a book called The Convivial Songster in 1782. It is very similar to the original but has slight differences in wording.

There was a jolly miller once

Lived on the River Dee

He danced and he sang from morn till night

No lark so blithe as he.

And this the burden of his song

For ever used to be

I care for nobody, no, not I,

If nobody cares for me.

I live by my mill, God bless her!

She's kindred, child, and wife

I would not change my station

For any other in life.

No lawyer, surgeon, or doctor

E'er had a groat from me

I care for nobody, no, not I,

If nobody cares for me.

When Spring begins its merry career

Oh! how his heart grows gay

No summer drought alarms his fears

Nor winter's sad decay

No foresight mars the miller's joy

Who's wont to sing and say

Let others toil from year to year

I live from day to day.

Thus like the miller, bold and free

Let us rejoice and sing

The days of youth are made for glee

And time is on the wing.

This song shall pass from me to thee

Along this jovial ring

Let heart and voice and all agree to say

Long live the King.

Lyrics: The Miller and the King

This version of the song was written by Charles Mackay. It tells a story where King Hal (King Henry VIII) meets the miller and learns about true happiness.

There dwelt a miller, hale and bold,

Beside the River Dee;

He worked and sang from morn till night,

No lark more blithe than he;

And this the burden of his song

Forever used to be:

"I envy nobody - no, not I -

And nobody envies me!"

'Thou'rt wrong, my friend," said good King Hal,

"As wrong as wrong can be;

For could my heart be light as thine,

I'd gladly change with thee.

And tell me now, what makes thee sing,

With voice so loud and free,

While I am sad, though I'm the King,

Beside the river Dee?'

The miller smiled and doff'd his cap,

"I earn my bread," quoth he;

"I love my wife, I love my friend,

I love my children three;

I owe no penny I cannot pay,

I thank the river Dee,

That turns the mill that grinds the corn

That feeds my babes and me."

"Good friend," said Hal, and sighed the while,

"Farewell, and happy be;

But say no more, if thou'dst be true,

That no one envies thee;

Thy mealy cap is worth my crown,

Thy mill my kingdom's fee;

Such men as thou are England's boast,

O miller of the Dee!