H
Shropshire Lolk-Lore, edited by Charlotte Sophia Burne, p. 550, as sung May 23, 1885, by gypsy children.
1
There came a gang o gipsies by,
And they was singing so merry, O
Till they gained the heart o my lady gay,
. . . . . . .
2
As soon as the lord he did come in,
Enquired for his lady, O
And some o the sarvants did-a reply,
‘Her’s away wi the gipsy laddie.’ O
3
‘O saddle me the bay, and saddle me the grey,
Till I go and sarch for my lady;’
And some o the sarvants did-a reply,
‘Her’s away wi the gipsy laddie.’
4
And he rode on, and he rode off,
Till he came to the gipsies’ tentie,
And there he saw his lady gay,
By the side o the gipsy laddie.
5
‘Didn’t I leave you houses and land?
And didn’t I leave you money?
Didn’t I leave you three pretty babes
As ever was in yonder green island?’
6
‘What care I for houses and land?
And what care I for money?
What do I care for three pretty babes?’
. . . . . . .
7
‘The tother night you was on a feather bed,
Now you’re on a straw one,’
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . .