It's of a pretty shepherdess,
Kept sheep all on the plain
Who should ride by but Knight William
And he was drunk with wine,
Line, twine, the willow and the dee.
2. You've stolen all my heart, young sir,
Yourself you are to blame,
So if your vows are made in truth,
Pray tell to me your name.
Line, twine, the willow and the dee.
3. O some do call me Jack he said,
And some do call me John
But when I'm in the fair king's court,
My name is Sweet William
Line, twine, the willow and the dee.
4. He mounted on his milk-white steed
And away then he did ride
She tied a handkerchief 'round her waist
And rode by the horses' side.
Line, twine, the willow and the dee.
5. She rode till she came to the river's side,
She fell on her belly and swam
And when she came to the other side,
She took to her heels and ran.
Line, twine, the willow and the dee.
6. She ran till she came to the king's fair court,
She pulled at the ring
There was none so ready as the king himself
To let this fair maid in.
Line, twine, the willow and the dee.
7. Good morning to you, my pretty maid,
Good morning sir, said she,
You have a knight in all your court
This day has robbed me.
Line, twine, the willow and the dee.
8. O has he robbed you of your gold
Or any of your fee?
Or has he robbed you of the rarest branch
That grows in your body?
Line, twine, the willow and the dee.
| 9. He has not robbed me of my gold
Nor any of my fee
But he has robbed me of the rarest branch
That grows in my body.
Line, twine, the willow and the dee.
10. Here's twenty pounds for you,
He said, all wrapped in a glove;
And twenty pounds for you,
He said, to seek some other love.
Line, twine, the willow and the dee.
11. I will not have your twenty pounds
Nor any of your fee
But I will have the king's fair knight
This day to marry me.
Line, twine, the willow and the dee.
12. The king called up his merry men
All by one, by two, by three
Young William once the foremost
Was but now behind came he.
Line, twine, the willow and the dee.
13. Accursed be that very hour
That I got drunk with wine,
To have the farmer's daughter here
To be a true love of mine.
Line, twine, the willow and the dee.
14. If I a farmer's daughter am
Pray leave me all alone
If you can make me a lady of a thousand lands
I can make thee lord of ten
Line, twine, the willow and the dee.
15. The dog shall eat the flour you sowed
And thou shall eat the bran
I'll make thee rue the day and hour
That ever thou wast born.
Line, twine, the willow and the dee.
16. He mounted on his milk-white steed
And she on her pony grey
He threw the bugle round his neck
And together they rode away
Line, twine, the willow and the dee.
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