Digital Tradition Mirror

The King o' Spain's Daughter

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Pennywhistle notation and Dulcimer tab for this song is also available

The King o' Spain's Daughter

False-hearted Johnny came to court
A king's daughter in Spain;
He courted her up and he courted her down
Till at length her favour did gain.

"Steal some of your mamma's gold
Some of your daddy's fees,
Two of the best steeds in your father's stable
Where there stand thirty and three."

She stole some of her mammy's gold
Some of her daddy's fees,
Two of the best steeds in her father's stable
Where there stand thirty and three.

Pretty Gold Ann got on the one
And Johnny got on the other,
And they rode up to North Hambleton water
Where there he lighted down.

"Light ye down, my pretty Gold Ann
No further you'll go with me,
For seven king's daughters I have drowned here
And the eighth one you shall be."

"Turn ye round, false-hearted John
And view the green leaves on the tree;
It never became a laird or a knight
A naked woman to see."

Just as he turned himself around
To view the green leaves on the tree,
She threw her arms around him
And tumbled him into the sea.

"Lie you there, false-hearted John
You may as well lie there as me,
You thought you would drown me just as I was born
But my ghost it will go with thee."

"Take my hand, my pretty Gold Ann
Take my hand," said he,
"In all the vows that ever I made thee
I'll double them all in a ban'."

So pretty Gold Ann got on again
Took Johnny's in her hand,
And she rode up to her father's castle
Where there they lighted down.

Out spoke the pretty parrot
In the cage just where it lay,
"I told you, I told you, my pretty Gold Ann
You would rue your going away."

"Hold your tongue, my pretty parrot
And tell no tidings on me,
Your cage shall be made of the beaten gold
]Instead of a briar tree."

Out bespoke the king himself
In the chamber just where he lay,
"What ailed you, what ailed you, my pretty parrot?
You have prattled so long before day."

"Two wild cats came to my cage door
I thought they had worried me,
And I was calling my pretty Gold Ann
To frighten those cats away."

"This maid being young and she slept sound
She wouldn't be wakened by me,
But me and my little prattling tongue
Has frightened those cats away."

From Songs of the People, Henry
Collected from Willie Hegarty
Child #4
RG

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!