The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #55837 Message #4172605
Posted By: GUEST,Bryan Sutton
19-May-23 - 04:36 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Maid with the Box on Her Head
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Maid with the Box on Her Head
Bert Lloyd sings Undaunted Female
It's of a pretty servant girl, in the Western country,
With her cruel mistress she couldn’t agree.
It was early one mornin’ she quickly arose,
She demanded her wages, her box and her clothes.
With the box on her head she went marching along,
and the first that she met was this stout looking man.
he says deliver up your money, without fear or strife,
Or else this very moment, I'll take your young life.”
Well the tears from her eyes like two fountains did flow,
Saying “Where can I run to? And where shall I go?”
He stooped to his bundle to take out his knife
And while he was stooping she killed him with his staff.
(But whilst this young fellow was a-feeling for his knife,
This damsel found his pistol and took away his life.)
With her box on her head she was marching along,
And the next that she met was a fine gentleman,
He says “you’re trembling and pale girl, you’ve done something wrong,
And the box on your head to yourself don’t belong”.
(For one moment from trembling you cannot keep still.”)
To me master and me mistress I’ve done nothing ill
But I’m afraid in my heart a young man I’ve killed
She took him by the hand and she led him to the place
Where this stout able fellow lay a-bleeding on his face.
They searched him all over to see what he had got;
He had three loaded pistols, some powder, and shot,
He had three loaded pistols, some powder, and ball,
A knife and a whistle, his robbers for to call.
She put the whistle to her mouth and blew both loud and shrill,
And four able robbers came a-running over the hill.
The gentleman shot one of them, and that speedily,
But this beautiful young servant girl she shot the other three.
Now when the fine gentleman saw all the robbers dead
He took her by the hand and to her he did say
I’ll take you for me lawful bride for the deed that you’ve done
In the taking your own part and the firing of your gun.
From the singing of A L Lloyd on Riverside LP RLP12-614 English Street Songs.