| 02-lass_of_lochroyan.mp3 |
Lass of Lochroyan
Child #76 (The Lass of Roch Royal) 4:24 V, OM & Whistle in A.
In this version there seems to be some ambiguity about the young woman’s fate; the evil mother says she has drowned, but clearly her word is not to be trusted.
I am a king’s daughter, come straight from Cappoquin,
In search of Lord Gregory, pray God I find him.
The rain beats on my yellow locks and the dew wets my skin,
The babe is cold in my arms, Lord Gregory let me in.
“Lord Gregory he’s not here and henceforth can’t be seen,
For he’s gone to bonny Scotland to bring home his new queen.
So leave now these windows and likewise this hall,
For it’s deep in the ocean you should hide your downfall.”
But who will shoe my babe’s little feet, who’ll put gloves on her hand,
Who will tie my babe’s middle with a long linen band?
Who will comb my babe’s yellow locks with an ivory comb,
Who will be my babe’s father till Lord Gregory comes home?
Do you recall, darling Gregory, that night in Cappoquin,
When we both changed pocket-handkerchieves, and me ‘gainst my will?
For yours was pure linen, love, and mine but coarse cloth;
For yours cost a guinea, love, and mine but one groat.
Do you remember, love Gregory, that night in Cappoquin,
When we changed rings on our fingers, and I ‘gainst my will?
For yours was pure silver, love, and mine was but tin,
Yours cost a guinea, love, and mine but one cent.
“Now my curse on you, mother, my curse being so,
Sure I dreamed the girl I love came a-knocking at my door.”
Lie down, my foolish son, lie down and sleep long,
For it’s long ago that weary girl lies drowning in the sea”.
“Then saddle me the black horse, the brown or the bay,
Come saddle me the best horse in my stable today.
And I’ll range o’er the mountains, over valleys so wide,
Till I find the girl I love, and I’ll lay by her side.”
In this version there seems to be some ambiguity about the young woman’s fate; the evil mother says she has drowned, but clearly her word is not to be trusted.
I am a king’s daughter, come straight from Cappoquin,
In search of Lord Gregory, pray God I find him.
The rain beats on my yellow locks and the dew wets my skin,
The babe is cold in my arms, Lord Gregory let me in.
“Lord Gregory he’s not here and henceforth can’t be seen,
For he’s gone to bonny Scotland to bring home his new queen.
So leave now these windows and likewise this hall,
For it’s deep in the ocean you should hide your downfall.”
But who will shoe my babe’s little feet, who’ll put gloves on her hand,
Who will tie my babe’s middle with a long linen band?
Who will comb my babe’s yellow locks with an ivory comb,
Who will be my babe’s father till Lord Gregory comes home?
Do you recall, darling Gregory, that night in Cappoquin,
When we both changed pocket-handkerchieves, and me ‘gainst my will?
For yours was pure linen, love, and mine but coarse cloth;
For yours cost a guinea, love, and mine but one groat.
Do you remember, love Gregory, that night in Cappoquin,
When we changed rings on our fingers, and I ‘gainst my will?
For yours was pure silver, love, and mine was but tin,
Yours cost a guinea, love, and mine but one cent.
“Now my curse on you, mother, my curse being so,
Sure I dreamed the girl I love came a-knocking at my door.”
Lie down, my foolish son, lie down and sleep long,
For it’s long ago that weary girl lies drowning in the sea”.
“Then saddle me the black horse, the brown or the bay,
Come saddle me the best horse in my stable today.
And I’ll range o’er the mountains, over valleys so wide,
Till I find the girl I love, and I’ll lay by her side.”
