King O' Spain's Daughter- Hegarty (Don) 1926 Henry
[From Songs of the People, Sam Henry; from Willie Hegarty of Ballydevitt, County Donegal, Ireland.
R. Matteson 2018]
THE KING O' SPAIN'S DAUGHTER- Collected from Willie Hegarty, learned when he was a young man from the girls at the "stove" Mullamore Bleach Green (Barklie's)
False-hearted Johnny came to court
A king's daughter in Spain;
He courted her up and he courted her down
Till at length her favour did gain.
"Steal some of your mamma's gold
Some of your daddy's fees,
Two of the best steeds in your father's stable
Where there stand thirty and three."
She stole some of her mammy's gold
Some of her daddy's fees,
Two of the best steeds in her father's stable
Where there stand thirty and three.
Pretty Gold Ann got on the one
And Johnny got on the other,
And they rode up to North Hambleton water
Where there he lighted down.
"Light ye down, my pretty Gold Ann
No further you'll go with me,
For seven king's daughters I have drowned here
And the eighth one you shall be."
"Turn ye round, false-hearted John
And view the green leaves on the tree;
It never became a laird or a knight
A naked woman to see."
Just as he turned himself around
To view the green leaves on the tree,
She threw her arms around him
And tumbled him into the sea.
"Lie you there, false-hearted John
You may as well lie there as me,
You thought you would drown me just as I was born
But my ghost it will go with thee."
"Take my hand, my pretty Gold Ann
Take my hand," said he,
"In all the vows that ever I made thee
I'll double them all in a ban'."
So pretty Gold Ann got on again
Took Johnny's in her hand,
And she rode up to her father's castle
Where there they lighted down.
Out spoke the pretty parrot
In the cage just where it lay,
"I told you, I told you, my pretty Gold Ann
You would rue your going away."
"Hold your tongue, my pretty parrot
And tell no tidings on me,
Your cage shall be made of the beaten gold
]Instead of a briar tree."
Out bespoke the king himself
In the chamber just where he lay,
"What ailed you, what ailed you, my pretty parrot?
You have prattled so long before day."
"Two wild cats came to my cage door
I thought they had worried me,
And I was calling my pretty Gold Ann
To frighten those cats away."
"This maid being young and she slept sound
She wouldn't be wakened by me,
But me and my little prattling tongue
Has frightened those cats away."
Sam Henry's "Songs of the People": (ISBN 0 8203 1258 4): edited by Gale Huntington, Lani Herrman with contributions from John Moulden. (University of Georgia Press) "Songs of the People" was a series which ran from 1923 to 1939 in the Coleraine newspaper "The Northern Constitution". For twelve of those years the editor was Sam Henry who contributed upwards of 500 songs of high quality. Previously highly regarded but known only from scrapbook copies compiled by Sam Henry for the Belfast Public Library, The National Library of Ireland and the Library of Congress, this, the first book publication, has been presented with the music in staff notation, an introduction, notes and references and extensive indices. The basic collection for the North of Ireland. HARDBACK and dust cover: £30.00 + £5.00 p&p PAPERBACK £11.00 + £4.00 p&p (Original price: (paperback) £27.00 (hardback) £54.00) Forthcoming: Songs of the People: Part Two: From 1928-1932 the newspaper series founded by Sam Henry was edited by others. This book, researched and designed by John Moulden, draws on the newspaper archive, the personal papers and memories of one of the collectors and incorporates additional local information. The plagiarism of one of the editors is proven and fully described.The roughly 100 songs, which were not pirated, were collected in Antrim, Derry and Donegal and are presented with musical notation, notes and references and even a few pictures. approx. 160 pages, Price approx. £12, publication intended 1998, more information later. (Ulstersongs, Portrush, N. Ireland)