King Henry

Let never a man a-wooing wend
Who lacks these things all three:
A store of gold, and an open heart,
And full of charity
A store of gold, and an open heart,
And full of charity

King Henry's gone to his jolly hunt's hall
And he's slain the fattest deer
As he sat at his meat, how the wind did howl
Till there came a knock at the door
And who should come in but a grisly ghost
Stood stamping at the floor

Her head hit the roof-tree of the house
Her hair hung down to her heels
Her teeth were like tether-stakes so wide
She looked like a fiend from hell
King Henry threw her his mantle gay,
Saying, "Lady, cover thyself."

"Some meat, some meat, now King Henry
"Some meat you'll give to me!"
"What meat do I have in this house, lady,
That I would not give to thee?"
"Go kill your berry brown steed, King Henry
And bring some meat to me."

So he has killed his berry brown steed
And it's made his heart full sore!
She's gobbled it up, both skin and bone,
Left nothing but hide and hair
She's gobbled it up, both skin and bone,
Left nothing but hide and hair

"More meat, more meat, now, King Henry
"More meat you'll give to me!"
"What meat do I have in this house, lady,
That I would not give to thee?"
"Go kill your good gray hounds, King Henry,
And bring some meat to me."

So he has killed his good gray hounds
Though it's made his heart full sore
She's gobbled them up, both skin and bone,
Left nothing but hide and hair.
She's gobbled them up, both skin and bone,
Left nothing but hide and hair.

"Some drink, some drink now, King Henry,
Some drink you'll give to me!"
"What drink do I have in this house, lady,
That I would not give to thee?"
"Sew up your horse's hide, King Henry,
And bring in a drink to me."

So he's sewed up that bloody hide,
And he's filled it up with wine,
She drank it all up in a single gulp
Leaving not a drop within.
She drank it all up in a single gulp
Leaving not a drop within.

"A bed, a bed now, King Henry,
A bed you'll make for me"
"What bed do I have in this house, lady,
That I would not give to thee?"
"Go pull the heather so green, King Henry,
And make a bed for me."

So he has pulled the heather so green,
And he's made for her a bed
He's covered her up with his mantle gay
As she laid down her head
He's covered her up with his mantle gay
As she laid down her head

"Lie down, lie down now King Henry
Lie down here next to me!"
"O no, O no!" cries King Henry,
"Such a thing can never be!"
"Lie down here in thy clothes, King Henry,
What harm can come to thee?"

When night was gone, and day was come,
And the sun shone through the hall,
The fairest lady that ever was seen
Lay between him and the wall
The fairest lady that ever was seen
Lay between him and the wall

"A curse, a curse was laid on me
By my stepmother's skill
Till I should meet with a courteous knight
Who would give me all my will
Till I should meet with a courteous knight
Who would give me all my will."