Maddy Prior Hind Horn
Young Hind Horn to the King is gone,
Hey lililu and a ho lo lan,
He fell in love with the King's daughter Jean,
With a hey down, hey diddle downy.
She gave him a gay gold ring
With three bright diamonds glittering.
"When this ring grows pale and blue
Then my love is lost to you."
He hoisted his sails and gone to sea,
Spent seven years in a far country.
One day he's looked his ring upon,
And It grew pale and it grew wan.
The young Hind Horn is come to land
And there he's met an old beggar man.
"What news, what news? Come tell to me."
"No news but our queen's wedding day."
"Will you give me your old brown cap?
And I'll give you my gold laced hat."
"Will you give me your begging weeds?
And I'll give you my good grey steed."
The old beggar man goes dressed so fine
And young Hind Horn like an old beggar man.
And when he's come to the king's gate
He's asked for drink and he's asked for meat.
He's asked for the sake of St Peter an' Paul,
He's asked for the sake of the young Hind Horn.
The bride come tripping down the stair
With the combs of red gold shining in her hair,
And in her hand was a glass of wine
To give to the poor old beggar man.
And he has drunk up all the wine
And into the cup he's dropped the ring.
"How came ye this by sea or land
Or got it off a dead man's hand?"
"I got it not by sea or land
But I got it off your very own hand."
The bridegroom he's comes down the stair
But neither bride nor beggar was there.
The bridegroom had her first to wed
But young Hind Horn had her first to bed.
