Classic Poem

" Go steal your father's weight in gold,
Likewise your mother's fee,
And two of the best horses that there are,
For there stands thirty-three. "

She stole her father's weight in gold,
And likewise her mother's fee,
And two of the best horses that there were,
For there stood thirty-three.

She mounted on a milk-white steed
And he upon a bay;
They rode, they rode through the merry green woods
Till they came to the side of the sea.

" Dismount, dismount, my pretty fair maid,
Dismount, dismount, I say.
There are six king's daughters I've drowned here
And you the seventh shall be.

" You must take off those costly robes
And lay them down by me.
They are too costly, ah! by far
To rot in the bottom of the sea. "

" If I take off these costly robes
And lay them down by thee,
You must turn yourself all round and round
All for to face that tree. "

He turned himself all round and round
All for to face the tree;
And manfully she picked him up
And flung him into the sea.

" Lie there, lie there, you false villain,
Lie there instead of me.
If there are six king's daughters you've drowned here,
Go, keep them company. "

" O, give me hold [of] your lily-white finger,
Or give me your whole hand,
And you shall be the lady of my house
And own one half of my land. "

" I will not give you my lily-white finger,
I won't give you my whole hand;
I will not be the lady of your house
Or own one half of your land. "

She mounted on the milk-white steed,
But now she led the bay.
She rode, she rode through the merry green woods
Till she came to the parrot's tree.

" O Polly, Polly, pretty Polly,
Don't tell any tales on me.
And your cage shall be lined with the yellow bea[ten] gold
And locked with a silver key. "

The old man heard the parrot's cry
And unto her did say,
" O Polly, Polly, pretty Polly,
What makes you cry so long today? "

" The old cat came to my cage door,
And that's what worried me.
I called upon your pretty Caroline
For to drive the old cat [a]way. "