The Knight & the Shepherd's Daughter- (MA) 1908 Barry
[From Folk-Songs of the North Atlantic States; reprinted in Irish Come-All-Ye's by Phillips Barry; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 22, No. 86 (Oct. - Dec., 1909), pp. 374-388.
R. Matteson 2012, 2015]
"The Knight and the Shepherd's Daughter," from Folk-Songs of the North Atlantic States, from S. C., Boston, Mass., as sung by a Scotch laborer in Co. Tyrone, Ireland.
1. There was a shepherd's daughter was herding on yon hill,
And by there came a noble knight, who fain would have his will.
Ta rum ding fa doo, my delpha maid,
Ta rum ding fa doo, ma dee. [1]
2. He catched her by the middle small, and tossed her on the plain,
And when he got his will of her, he took her up again.
3. "Sometimes they call me Jack," he said, "sometimes they call me John,
But when I am in the King's court, they call me Sweet William."
4. When she came to the King's court,
. . .
5. "Has he robbed you of your purse of gold, or of your penny fee?"
. . .
6. "He has not robbed me of my purse of gold, nor of my penny fee,
But he took from me the fairest flower belongs to my body."
7. "It's if he is a married man, it's hanged he shall be,
And if he is a single man, his body I'll grant thee!"
8. "There's no Sweet William in my court, but one, but two, but three,
There's one Sweet William, my sister's son, I'm afraid it must be he."
9. He called upon his merry men, by one, by two, by three,
. . .
10. "It's here, take this, my pretty fair maid, and look out for a nurse."
. . .
11. " Oh, hold your tongue, my pretty fair maid, you'll make the case look worse,
If I have given you a British crown, you have it in your purse!"
12. "If I'd been drinking water, instead of drinking wine,
There's not a fair maid in this land would have entered in my mind."
Footnote:
1. Gaelic:
Taim dian fadh tu, mo dealbhaeh maed,
Taim dian fadh tu, mo daoi,
which is, being interpreted,
"I am violent because of you, my handsome maid,"
"I am violent because of you, my man."