Steeleye Span Album

She looked out of the window as white as any milk
And he looked in at the window as black as any silk

Chorus
Hello, hello, hello, hello you coal black smith
You have done me no harm
You never shall have my maidenhead
That I have kept so long
I'd rather die a maid
Ah, but then she said and be buried all in my grave
Than to have such a nasty, husky, dusky, fusky, musky
Coal black smith
A maiden I will die
Chorus

She became a duck, a duck all on the stream
And he became a water dog and fetched her back again

Chorus

She became a star, a star all in the night
And he became a thundercloud and muffled her out of sight

Chorus

She became a rose, a rose all in the wood
And he became a bumble bee and kissed her where she stood

Chorus

She became a nun, a nun all dressed in white
And he became a canting priest and prayed for her by night

Chorus

She became a trout, a trout all in the brook
And he became a feathered fly and catched her with his hook

Chorus

She became a corpse, a corpse all in the ground
And he became a the cold clay and smothered her all around

Chorus

Come all ye wild young people and listen to my song
I will unfold concerning gold that guides so many wrong

Young Emma was a servant maid who loved a sailor bold
Who ploughed the main much gold to gain for his love so we've been told

He ploughed the main for seven years and then returned home
As soon as he set foot on shore unto his love did go

He went unto young Emma's house his gold all for the show
That he has gained upon the main all in the lowlands low

Young Edwin he sat drinking till time to go to bed
He little thought a sword that night would part his body and head

And Edwin he got into bed and scarcely was asleep
When Emily's cruel parents soft into his room did creep

They stabbed him, dragged him out of bed and to the sea did go
They sent his body floating down to the lowlands low

"Oh father, where's the stranger came here last night to lay?"
"Oh he is dead no tales can tell" the father he did say

The fishes of the ocean swim o'er my lover's breast
His body rolls in motion I hope his soul's at rest

The shells upon the sea shore, rolling to and fro
Remind me of young Edwin that ploughed the lowlands low

So many a day she passed away and tried to ease her mind
Crying "Oh my friends, my love is gone and I am left behind"

And Emma broken hearted was to Bedlam forced to go
Her shrieks were for young Edwin that ploughed the lowlands low

Twinkle twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are;
Up above the world so high
Like a diamond in the sky
Twinkle twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are

Chorus
Seven hundred elves from out the wood
Foul and grim they were
Down to the farmer's house they went
His meat and drink to share

There was a farmer in the west and there he chose his ground
He thought to spend the winter there and brought his hawk and hound
He brought with him both hound and cock alone he begged to stay
And all the dear that roamed the wood had cause to rue the day

He felled the oak, he felled the birch, the beech nor poplar spared
And much was grieved the sullen elves at what the stranger dared
He hewed him baulks and he hewed him beams with eager toil and haste
Then up and spake the woodland elves: "Who's come our wood to waste?"

Chorus

Up and spake the biggest elf and grimly rolled his eyes:
"We'll march upon the farmer's house and hold on him assize
He's knocking down both wood and bower, he shows us great distain
We'll make him rue the day he was born and taste of shame and pain."

Chorus

All the elves from out the wood began to dance and spring
And marched towards the farmer's house their lengthy tails to swing
The farmer from his window looked and quickly crossed his breast
"Oh woe is me," the farmer cried, "The elves will be my guests."

In every nook he made a cross and all about the room
And off flew many a frightened elf back to his forest gloom
Some flew to the east, some flew to the west, some flew to the north away
And some flew down the deep ravine and there forever stay

Chorus

[No lyrics]

Three maidens a milking did go
Three maidens a milking did go
And the wind it did blow high
And the wind it did blow low
It tossed their petticoats to a fro

They met with some young mean they know
They met with some young mean they know
And they boldly asked him if he had any skill
To catch them a small bird or two

Oh yes I've a very good skill
Oh yes I've a very good skill
And it's come along with me to yonder flowering tree
And I'll catch a small bird or two

So off to the green woods went they
And it's off to the green woods went they
And he tapped at the bush and the bird it did fly in
A little above her lily white knee

Her sparkling eyes they did turn around
Just as if she had been all in a swoon
And she cried "I've a bird and a very pretty bird
And he's pecking away at his own ground"

Here's health to the bird in the bush
Here's health to the bird in the bush
And we'll drink up the moon, we'll drink down the moon
Let the people say little or much

There is a thorn bush in our cale yard
There is a thorn bush in our cale yard
At the back o'thorn bush there lays a lad and lass
And they're busy busy fairing at the cuckoo's nest

Hi the cuckoo, ho the cuckoo, hi the cuckoo's nest
Hi the cuckoo, ho the cuckoo, hi the cuckoo's nest
I'd give anybody a shilling and a bottle of the best
That'll rumple up the feathers in the cuckoo's nest

It is thorn and it is prickle, it is compassed all around
It is thorn and it is prickle, and it isn't easy found
She said young man you blunder and I said it isn't true
And I left her with the makings of a young cuckoo

Hi the cuckoo, ho the cuckoo, hi the cuckoo's nest
Hi the cuckoo, ho the cuckoo, hi the cuckoo's nest
I'd give anybody a shilling and a bottle of the best
That'll rumple up the feathers in the cuckoo's nest

As I was walking by yonder church wall
I saw four and twenty young men a-playing at the ball
I asked for my own true love but they wouldn't let him come
For they said the boy was young but a-growing.

Father dear father you've done me much wrong
You've tied me to a boy when you know he is too young
But he will make a Lord for you to wait upon
And a lady you will be while he's growing

We'll send him to college for one year or two
And maybe in time the boy will do for you
I'll buy you white ribbons to tie around his waist
For to let the ladies know that he's married

The trees they do grow high and the leaves they do grow green
The day is passed and gone my love that you and I have seen
It's on a cold winter's night that I must lie alone
For the bonny boy is young but a-growing

At the age of sixteen he was a married man
And at the age of seventeen the father to a son
And at the age of eighteen his grave it did grow green
Cruel dead had put an end to his growing.

Traditional

Riddle 1:
In marble halls as white as milk
Lined with skin as soft as silk
Within a fountain crystal clear
A golden apple doth appear
No doors there are to this stronghold
Yet thieves break in and steal the gold

Riddle 2:
Thirty white horses on a red hill
Now they tramp
Now they champ
Now they stand still

Riddle 3:
White bird featherless
Flew from paradise
Lit on the castle wall
Along came Lord Landless
Took it up handless
Rode away horseless
To the King's white hall

To know know know him
Is to love love love him
Just to see him smile
Makes my life worthwhile

To know know know him
Is to love love love him
And I do and I do and I do

I'll be good to him
I'll bring love to him
Everyone says there will come a day
When I'll walk alongside of him

To know know know him
Is to love love love him
And I do and I do and I do

Why can't he see me
How blind can he be?
Someday he'll see
Then he was meant for me

To know know know him
Is to love love love him
Just to see him smile
Makes my life worthwhile

To know know know him
Is to love love love him
And I do and I do and I do