A KISS IN THE MORNING EARLY
(Traditional)

'Twas early one morning a fair maid arose
And dressed herself up in the finest of clothes
And off to the shoemaker's shop sure she goes
For a kiss in the morning early

The cobbler arose and he soon let her in
His arm and his hammer were neat as a pin
And he had the will for to greet her so slim
With a kiss in the morning early

O cobbler, O cobbler 'tis soon we'll be wed
And nestling together in a fine feather bed
So give me two shoes with two buckles of red
And a kiss in the morning early

The maid hid the shoes in the back of her waist
She praised his good cobbling and shoemaker's taste
And home to her father she mournullly faced
For it was in the morning early

O Father, O Father, I've got me a man
And he is the one I would wed if I can
As handsome as ever in leather did stand
For me kiss in the morning early

The father was thinking and thinking again
For to wed her to riches and have them for him
Who knows but it might be a prince or a king
That she met in the morning early

So the father was smiling his daughter embraced
And touching the buckles he drew back in haste
He spied the red shoes that were tied round her waist
For it was in the morning early

O daughter, O daughter he started to shout
When he did discover what she was about
God knows 'twas none but that old cobbling clout
That she met in the morning early


Colm O'Lochlainn's "More Irish Street Ballads", 1965)
Found in "Sing Out", Vol. 46 #3; Fall 2002
From: MRY