An outlandish knight he came from the north land,
And he came a-wooing to me;
Now he told me he'd take me to the north land
And there he would marry me.
" Go fetch me some of your father's gold,
And some of your mother's fee,
Two of the best horses out of the stable,
Where there stand thirty and three."
She fetched him some of her father's gold,
And some of her mother's fee,
Two of the best horses out of the stable,
Where there stood thirty and three.
She mounted on her milkwhite steed,
And he on the dapple grey.
They rode till they came unto the seaside,
Not long before it was day.
" Light off, light off your milkwhite steed,
Deliver it now unto me,
For six pretty maids I have drownded here,
The seventh one thou shalt be.
" Put off, put off your silken gown,
Deliver it now unto me,
I think it is looking too rich and too good
For to rot all in the salt sea."
" Now if I have to pull off my fine silken gown,
And deliver it now unto thee,
I don't think it fitting a ruffian like you
A naked woman should see."
Now he turned himself the other way,
A-watching those leaves growing green,
She caught him round his middle so small,
And she tumbled him in the stream.
Now he plunged high and he plunged low,
Until he came to the side.
" Take hold of my hand, thou pretty fair maid,
And I will make you my bride."
" Lie there, lie there, you false-hearted man,
Lie there instead of me,
For it's six pretty maids you have drownded here,
And the seventh she has drownded thee."
She mounted on her milkwhite steed,
She led the dappled grey,
She rode till she came to her own father's hall,
Not long before it was day.
Now the parrot was up in the window so high,
And he to the lady did say,
" I'm afraid that some ruffian has led you astray,
That you have been so long away."
" Don't prittle, don't prattle, my pretty Polly,
Don't tell no tales of me,
And your cage will be made of the glittering gold,
And the doors of the best ivory."
Now the king sat up in his chamber so high,
And he heard what that parrot did say.
" Whatever's the matter, my pretty Polly,
You are prattling so long before day?"
" It's no laughing matter," the parrot did say,
" That so loudly I call unto thee,
For the cat he got up in the window so high,
I'm afraid he will have me."
" Well done, well done, my pretty Polly,
You have tuned your note well for me.
Now your cage will be made of the glittering gold,
And the doors of the best ivory."
And he came a-wooing to me;
Now he told me he'd take me to the north land
And there he would marry me.
" Go fetch me some of your father's gold,
And some of your mother's fee,
Two of the best horses out of the stable,
Where there stand thirty and three."
She fetched him some of her father's gold,
And some of her mother's fee,
Two of the best horses out of the stable,
Where there stood thirty and three.
She mounted on her milkwhite steed,
And he on the dapple grey.
They rode till they came unto the seaside,
Not long before it was day.
" Light off, light off your milkwhite steed,
Deliver it now unto me,
For six pretty maids I have drownded here,
The seventh one thou shalt be.
" Put off, put off your silken gown,
Deliver it now unto me,
I think it is looking too rich and too good
For to rot all in the salt sea."
" Now if I have to pull off my fine silken gown,
And deliver it now unto thee,
I don't think it fitting a ruffian like you
A naked woman should see."
Now he turned himself the other way,
A-watching those leaves growing green,
She caught him round his middle so small,
And she tumbled him in the stream.
Now he plunged high and he plunged low,
Until he came to the side.
" Take hold of my hand, thou pretty fair maid,
And I will make you my bride."
" Lie there, lie there, you false-hearted man,
Lie there instead of me,
For it's six pretty maids you have drownded here,
And the seventh she has drownded thee."
She mounted on her milkwhite steed,
She led the dappled grey,
She rode till she came to her own father's hall,
Not long before it was day.
Now the parrot was up in the window so high,
And he to the lady did say,
" I'm afraid that some ruffian has led you astray,
That you have been so long away."
" Don't prittle, don't prattle, my pretty Polly,
Don't tell no tales of me,
And your cage will be made of the glittering gold,
And the doors of the best ivory."
Now the king sat up in his chamber so high,
And he heard what that parrot did say.
" Whatever's the matter, my pretty Polly,
You are prattling so long before day?"
" It's no laughing matter," the parrot did say,
" That so loudly I call unto thee,
For the cat he got up in the window so high,
I'm afraid he will have me."
" Well done, well done, my pretty Polly,
You have tuned your note well for me.
Now your cage will be made of the glittering gold,
And the doors of the best ivory."