It's May she comes and May she goes down by the garden green
And there she's spied as fine a squire as e'er her eyes had seen
It's May she comes and May she goes down by that hollin tree
And it's there she's spied the finest squire that e'er her eyes did see
"Come give to me your green mantle, give to me your maidenhead
If you won't give me your green mantle, give me your maidenhead."
He's taken her by the milk-white hand and gently laid her down
And when he raised her up again he's given her a silver comb
"Perhaps there may be bairns, kind sir, perhaps there may be none.
But if you be a courtier, pray tell to me your name"
"Oh I am no courtier," he said, "but lately come from sea,
No, I am no courtier," he said, "save when I courted thee.
"They call me Jack when I'm abroad, sometimes they call me John
But when I'm in my father's hall, Jock Randal is my name."
"You lie, you lie, you false young man, so loud I hear you lie,
For I am Lord Randal's only daughter, he has no one but I."
"You lie, you lie, you bonny maid, so loud I hear you lie
For I am Lord Randal's only son, he has no one but I."
Then she has reached into her gown and out she's taken a knife
She's thrust it in in her own heart's blood and taken away her life
He's taken up his bonny sister with a salt tear in his eye
And he has buried his own sister beneath the hollin tree
Then he has hied him o'er the dale, his father dear to see
Crying "O, sing O for my bonny hind beneath that hollin tree!"
"What care you for your bonny hind? For it you need not care,
For there's aught score hinds in yonder paddock, and five score of them to spare.
"Four score of them are silver-shod, of them you may take three."
"But O, sing O for my bonny hind beneath that hollin tree!"
"What care you for your bonny hind? For it you need not care,
Take you the best, leave me the rest, for it's plenty I've to spare."
"I care not for your hinds, father, I care not for your fee.
But O, sing O for my bonny hind beneath that hollin tree!"
"If you were at your sister's bower, your sister fair to see
Then you'd care no more for your bonny hind beneath that hollin tree."
credits
from 52 Folk Songs: Blue,
released January 19, 2012
Phil Edwards: vocals, melodica, flute
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