X:25
T:Tell-tale Polly
T:Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight
C:Trad
B:Bronson
O:Charley Fox's Minstrel's Companion,
O:n.d., p. 52 (photostat copy, Phillips Barry Collection,
O:Harvard College Library).
N:Bronson has measure 6 as | dedB G3 e |. I changed it to
N:match the words.  He also has an alternate measure 7:
N:| d2 c2 A2 B2 |
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:Gmix % Hexatonic ( -7) Ionian/Mixolydian
Bc | d2 d2 e3 e | dedB G2 Bc |
w:She* mount-ed on her bon-ny, bon-ny brown, And she
d2 d2 g3 B | d2 z2 z2 z d | gggg d2 BB |
w:led the dapp-le gray, So merr-i-ly she rode by the
dedB G2 ee | d2 cc A2 BB |
w:mer-ry green-*wood Till she came to the brink of the
G2 A2 B2 ee | d2 BB A2 BB | G2 z2 z2 |]
w:sea__ Till she came to the brink of the sea.
W:
W:She mounted on her bonny, bonny brown,
W:And she led the dapple gray,
W:So merrily she rode by the merry greenwood
W:Till she came to the brink of the sea,
W:Till she came to the brink of the sea.
W:
W:Lie there, lie there, you false-hearted man,
W:Lie there instead of me;
W:'Tis six fair maidens you have drowned in the sea,
W:And the seventh one you shall be, &c.
W:
W:She mounted on her bonny, bonny brown,
W:And she led the dapple gray:
W:So merrily she rode by the merry greenwood,
W:So long before it was day, &c.
W:
W:The parrot overheard the noise,
W:And unto her did say,
W:What was the matter, my pretty little lass,
W:So long before 'twas day? &c.
W:
W:The father overheard the noise,
W:And unto her did say,
W:What is the matter with my darling little child
W:So long before the broke cf day? &c.
W:
W:There is a cat at my cage-door,
W:And it swears it will have me;
W:And I have come to call my Collin dear,
W:To drive the cat away, &c.
W:
W:Oh, hush! oh hush! my pretty, pretty poll,
W:And tell no tales on me:
W:Your cage shall be made of pure beaten gold,
W:And your door of ivory-ee, &c.