Subject: RE: Joe Heaney version of 'Capt. Wedderburn'
From:
Felipa
Date: 07 Mar 21 - 08:37 AM
from link previously givenL
Captain Wedderburn (Roud 36, Child 46)
A gentleman's fair daughter walked down a narrow lane.
She met with Captain Wedderburn, the keeper of the game.
He said unto his servant 'If only for the law,
I'd have that girl in bed with me and she'd lie next to the wall'.
'Musha, go your way, young man,' she said, 'and do not bother me,
Before you and I on one bed lie, you must answer me questions three.
Three questions you must answer me and I'll set forth them all,
Ere you and I on one bed lie and I lie next the wall.
For my breakfast, you must get for me a cherry without a stone,
For my dinner, you must get for me a chicken without a bone,
For my supper, you must find for me a bird without a gall,
Then you on and I on one bed lie, and I'll lie next the wall.'
'A cherry when in blossom surely has no stone,
A chicken when its in the egg surely has no bone,
The dove it is a gentle bird, it flies without a gall,
Then you and I on one bed lie and you'll lie next to the wall.'
'Now go your way, young man' she said 'and do not me perplex,
Before you and I on one bed lie, you must answer me questions six.
Six questions you must answer me and I'll set forth them all,
Ere you and I one bed lie at either stock or wall.'
Oh, what is rounder than a ring, what's higher than a tree,
Oh, what is worse than women's wrath, what's deeper than the sea,
What bird sings best, what flower buds first and on it the dew first fall
Then you and I in one bed lie and I'll lie next to the wall.'
'The world is rounder than a ring, heaven is higher than a tree,
The devil is worse than women's wrath, hell is deeper than the sea,
The lark sings best, the heath buds first and on it the dew first fall,
So you and I on one bed lie and you'll lie next to the wall.'
'You must find for me some winter fruit that in December grow,
You must get for me silk mantle that's neither warped nor worn,
A sparrow's horn, a priest unborn that'll wed us two in twa,
Then you and I on one bed lie and you'll lie next to the wall.'
Oh my father has some winter fruit that in December grow,
My mother has a silk mantle that's neither warped nor worn.
A sparrow's horn is easily found, there is one on every claw
And Mitchelllis (Melchizidek) was a priest unborn, so you'll lie next to the wall.'
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sj
