Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 4 1886.djvu/172

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164
HEREFORDSHIRE NOTES.

"The Outlandish Knight."

From recitation of the same old nurse who told the folk-tales just mentioned. 1883.

"T'was an outlandish knight came from the North land,
He came on a wooing to me,
He told me he'd take me unto the North land,
And there he would marry me.

"Go fetch me some of your father's gold,
And some of your mother's fee,
And two of the best nags out of the stable,
Where there stand thirty and three.

"She fetched him some of her father's gold,
And some of her mother's fee,
And two of the best nags out of the stable.
Where there stood thirty and three.

"He mounted on his milk-white steed,
And she on her dappledy grey ;
They rode till they came unto the salt sea.
Three hours before it was day.

"'Get off, get off your dappledy grey.
And deliver it unto me ;
For here I have drownded six ladies fair,
And thou the seventh shalt be.

"'Doff off, doff off your silken gown.
And deliver it unto me ;
For methinks it doth look too rich and too gay
To be drownded in the salt sea'

"'If I doff off my silken gown (smock ?)
You must turn your back to me,
For methinks it's not fitting that such a ruf-fin
A naked woman should see.'

"He turned his back towards her then
And bitterly she did weep,
She ketched him holt (hold) by the middle so small,
And tumbled him into the deep.

"'Lie there, lie there, thou falsehearted man,
Lie there instead of me.
For since thou has drownded six ladies fair,
The seventh has drownded thee.'