The Knight and the Shepherd’s Daughter

Oh it’s of a shepherd’s daughter

Keeping sheep all on the hill-o

And by there comes a king’s fair knight

And he would have his will.

He’s ta’en her by the middle sma’

And by the silken goon-o

And he has had his will before

He rose her up again.

“Now that you’ve had your will o’ me

Come tell yo me your name-o

So when our bairnie it is born

I might call him the same.”

“Oh some they call me Jack,” he said

“And some they call me John-o

But when I’m at the King’s high court

They call me Willful Will.”

He’s mounted on his milk-white steed

And then away he did ride-o

She’s kilted her petticoat round her knee

And run at the horse’s side.

And when she came to the waterside

She bowed her head and swam-o

And when she came to the other side

She took to her heels and ran.

When she came to the King’s high court

She tirled at the pin-o

And wha was there but the King himself

To let the fair maid in.

“Good morning to you, fair maid,” he cried.

“Good morning, sir,” says she-o

“Have ye a knight intae your hall

This day has robbèd me?”

“Has he robbed you o’ your gold

Or any o’ your purse?”

“No, he’s robbed me of my maidenhead

And that’s a damned sight worse!”

“Well, if he be a married man

Then hangèd he will be-o

But if he be a single man

His body I’ll give to thee.”

The King’s called out his merry men

By one by two by three-o

And Willie was once the foremost man

But last behind come he.

And he came crippled and he came blind

Came fourfold o’er a tree-o

But be he crippled or be he blind

The very same mannie was he.

“Had I drunk the well-water

When I had drink the wine-o

To have a shepherd’s daughter

For to be a true lover of mine.”

But when they came intae the kirk

The joke was to be seen

For she was the Laird of Fyvie’s lass

And he was a squire’s son.