X:22
T:The False-hearted Knight
T:Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight
C:Trad
B:Bronson
O:Barry, Eckstorm, and Smyth, "British Ballads from Maine",
O:I929, pp. I9(C)-20. Sung by Mrs. A. W. (Barry) Lindenberg, Shirley,
Mass., I922.
N:In Bronson the second e in measure 5 is given as a quarter note.
M:6/8
L:1/8
K:G
B | d2 B d2 G | B2 A G2 d |
w:She mount-ed on her milk-white steed, And
eee efg | d3-d2 d | e2 e efg |
w:he on his dap_ple gray, And forth from her fath_er's
B2 A G2 B | d2 d c2 A | G3-G2 |]
w:house they went, Be-fore the break of day.
W:
W:She mounted on her milk-white steed,
W:And he on his dapple gray,
W:And forth from her father's house they went,
W:Before the break of day.
W:
W:They rode and rode and rode away
W:Until they came to the sea,
W:And here they pulled their horses up
W:Hard by a willow tree.
W:
W:"Now get thee down, my pretty Pollee,
W:And harken unto me,-
W:Six pretty maidens I've drownded here,
W:And you the seventh shall be.
W:
W:"Take off, take off that silken gown,
W:And give it unto me,-
W:A silken gown is much too fine
W:To rot in the salt sea."
W:
W:"O turn about, O turn about,
W:And face the willow tree,-
W:While I take off the silken gown
W:And give it unto thee."
W:
W:He turned about, he turned about,
W:And faced the willow tree,-
W:She took him in her lily-white arms,
W:And threw him into the sea.
W:
W:"Lie there, lie there, my false lover,
W:Lie there instead of me,-
W:If six pretty maidens you've drownded here,
W:Go bear them company!"
W:
W:She mounted on her milk-white steed,
W:And led the dapple gray,
W:And back she went to her father's house,
W:Before the break of day.
W:
W:The first she saw was the little parrot,-
W:"O where have you been from me?
W:O where have you been in the early morn,-
W:O where have you been from me?"
W:
W:"O say no more, my little parrot,-
W:O say no more to me,
W:And I'll give thee a golden cage,
W:To hang on the chestnut tree!"
W:
W:The next to speak was her mother dear,-
W:"O where have you been from me?"
W:"I've been to church in the early morn,
W:To say a prayer for thee."