In 1808 Achim von Arnim and Clemens Brentano in the third volume of their collection Des Knaben Wunderhorn published a version of the text under the title "Die gute Sieben" (The good seven).
[7] In the earliest published versions of the text, the acting person is mostly referred to as Knabe (boy) or Edelknabe (squire).
[7] The folk song collector Elizabeth Marriage [de] points in 1902 to the prevalence of the song and mentions the hero – in their version of the text "a young hussar" – appears "mostly as a fine boy, also young boy, brave soldier, red hussar".
[12] Originally, the lyrics taken from the folk song were added only the refrain-like part of the piece.
The note in a sheet music issue of original publisher states: "This is the only popular and protected version of the 'Faithful Hussar' with the additional composition by Heinrich Frantzen".
[13] Joseph "Jupp" Frantzen, the composer's son, allegedly has added the additional lyrics[14][15] subsequently.
The ballad is about a soldier or – depending on the version of the text – young boy who is separated from his beloved one, and is only allowed to return to her when she is already mortally ill.
Der Knab' der fuhr ins fremde Land, Derweil ward ihm sein Mädchen krank, Sie ward so krank bis auf den Tod, Drei Tag, drei Nacht sprach sie kein Wort.
Er nahm sie gleich in seinen Arm, Da war sie kalt und nimmer warm; "Geschwind, geschwind bringt mir ein Licht!
Und als das Mägdlein gestorben war, Da legt er's auf die Totenbahr.
Wo krieg ich nun sechs junge Knab'n, Die mein Herzlieb zu Grabe trag'n?
Sechs brave Husaren müssen es sein, Die tragen mein Herzliebchen heim.
This youth to foreign land did roam, While his true love, fell ill at home.
Oh mother, bring forth a light, My darling dies, I do not see, That was indeed a faithful hussar, He loves his girl a whole year.
[20] Recordings by British artists Ted Heath and Vera Lynn (as "Don't Cry My Love") both reached the Billboard Top 100.