False Linfinn
1.
Said the lord to his lady as he went away from home,
" Beware of the Linfinn, for he'll do you much harm. "
2.
" I care not for Linfinn nor none of his kin,
I keep my doors bolted and my windows pinned in. "
3.
" How shall I get her down? " ...
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.
They pricked it and they pricked it and they pricked it full sore
Till the blood ran from the cradle in streams on the floor.
5.
" I've rocked it and fed it on breast milk and pap,
Why can't you come down and rock it on your lap? "
6.
" How can I come down so late in the night
Without any fire or bright candlelight? "
7.
" There are fifteen bright candles burning and one as bright as the sun;
You can come down here by the light of one of them! "
8.
She started to come down, not thinking any harm,
And the Linfinn stood ready to catch her in his arms.
9.
" O spare me, Mr. Linfinn, till one o'clock at night,
And you shall have as much money as you can carry in your cart. "
10.
" If I had as much money as I could haul in my cart,
I'd rather see a sword run through your red heart. "
11.
" O spare me, O spare me, O spare me, " she cries,
" And you shall have my daughter Betsy, she's the pride of all flowers. "
12.
" Bring down your daughter Betsy, she may do some good
For to hold the silver basin for to catch your heart's blood. "
13.
" O Betsy, dearest Betsy, stay right where you be,
Until your noble father comes a-riding home from sea. "
14.
As Betsy was a-sittin' in her chamber most high,
She saw her noble father come a-riding close by.
15.
Says, " Father, dearest father, pray do not blame me,
For the Linfinn and the wet nurse has murdered Ma-mee. "
16.
The wet nurse was hung on the gallows so high,
And the Linfinn was burned to a stake standing by.
17.
" Farewell to old England, old Ireland, " says he,
And the landlord went a-mourning for his fair ladye.
Said the lord to his lady as he went away from home,
" Beware of the Linfinn, for he'll do you much harm. "
2.
" I care not for Linfinn nor none of his kin,
I keep my doors bolted and my windows pinned in. "
3.
" How shall I get her down? " ...
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.
They pricked it and they pricked it and they pricked it full sore
Till the blood ran from the cradle in streams on the floor.
5.
" I've rocked it and fed it on breast milk and pap,
Why can't you come down and rock it on your lap? "
6.
" How can I come down so late in the night
Without any fire or bright candlelight? "
7.
" There are fifteen bright candles burning and one as bright as the sun;
You can come down here by the light of one of them! "
8.
She started to come down, not thinking any harm,
And the Linfinn stood ready to catch her in his arms.
9.
" O spare me, Mr. Linfinn, till one o'clock at night,
And you shall have as much money as you can carry in your cart. "
10.
" If I had as much money as I could haul in my cart,
I'd rather see a sword run through your red heart. "
11.
" O spare me, O spare me, O spare me, " she cries,
" And you shall have my daughter Betsy, she's the pride of all flowers. "
12.
" Bring down your daughter Betsy, she may do some good
For to hold the silver basin for to catch your heart's blood. "
13.
" O Betsy, dearest Betsy, stay right where you be,
Until your noble father comes a-riding home from sea. "
14.
As Betsy was a-sittin' in her chamber most high,
She saw her noble father come a-riding close by.
15.
Says, " Father, dearest father, pray do not blame me,
For the Linfinn and the wet nurse has murdered Ma-mee. "
16.
The wet nurse was hung on the gallows so high,
And the Linfinn was burned to a stake standing by.
17.
" Farewell to old England, old Ireland, " says he,
And the landlord went a-mourning for his fair ladye.
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