| 1 |
There was a lady, a lady of York,
Ri fol i diddle i gee wo
She fell a-courting in her own father's park.
Down by the greenwood side, O |
| 2 |
She leaned her back against the stile,
Ri fol i diddle i gee wo
There she had two pretty babes born.
Down by the greenwood side, O |
| 3 |
And she had nothing to lap 'em in,
Ri fol i diddle i gee wo
But she had a penknife sharp and keen.
Down by the greenwood side, O |
| 4 |
. . . . . . . . .
Ri fol i diddle i gee wo
There she stabbed them right through the heart.
Down by the greenwood side, O |
| 5 |
She wiped the penknife in the sludge;
Ri fol i diddle i gee wo
The more she wiped it, the more the blood showed.
Down by the greenwood side, O |
| 6 |
As she was walking in her own father's park,
Ri fol i diddle i gee wo
She saw two pretty babes playing with a ball.
Down by the greenwood side, O |
| 7 |
'Pretty babes, pretty babes, if you were mine,
Ri fol i diddle i gee wo
I'd dress you up in silks so fine.'
Down by the greenwood side, O |
| 8 |
'Dear mother, dear mother, [when we were thine,]
Ri fol i diddle i gee wo
You dressed us not in silks so fine.
Down by the greenwood side, O |
| 9 |
'Here we go to the heavens so high,
Ri fol i diddle i gee wo
You'll go to bad when you do die.'
Down by the greenwood side, O |
