An outlandish knight came from the north lands
And he's courted a lady fair
And he said he would take her to those northern lands
And there he would marry her

"Go fetch me some of your father's gold
And some of your mother's fee
And two of the fine horses from out of the stable
Where there stand thirty and three"

So she mounts all on her milk white steed
And he on the dappled gray
And they rode 'til they came unto the seaside
Three hours before it was day

"Light off, light off your milk-white steed
And deliver it unto me
For six pretty maidens have I drownéd here
And the seventh will surely be thee"

"Take off take off your silken clothes,
And deliver them unto me;
For I do fear that they are too fine
To rot all in the salt sea"

"If I must take off my silken clothes
Then turn your back to me
For it is not fitting that such a rogue
A naked woman should see"

"And cut away the bramble so sharp
Those brambles from off the brim
For I do fear they will tangle my hair
And scratch my tender skin"

So he's turned his back all on that maid
And he's bend low over the brim
She's taken him round his slender waist
And she's tumbled him into the stream

He's droppéd high he's droppéd low
Until he came to the side
"Catch hold of me hand, you fair pretty maid
And then I will make you my bride"

"Lie there, lie there you false hearted man
Lie there instead of me
For six pretty maidens have you drowned there
The seventh hath drownéd thee"

She's mounted on her milk white steed
She's led the dappled gray
She's rode till she's come to her father's house
Three hours before it was day

The parrot hung in the window so high
He's heard what the lady did say
"What ails yee what ails yee me pretty lady
You've tarried so long away"

And the king he was in his bedroom so high
He's heard what the parrot did say
"What ails yee what ails yee me pretty Polly
You're prattling so long before day"

"It's no laughing matter," the parrot did say
"So loudly I called to thee
For the cat she has got in the window so high
And I feared she's the death of me"

"Well turned, well turned, my Pretty Polly
Well turned, well turned for me
Your cage will be made of the glittering gold
And the door of the best ivory"

OUTLANDISH KNIGHT –
Nic Jones' version two

And he's followed her up he's followed her down
And It's into the room where she lay
She hadn't the strength for to flee from his arms
So they tumbled — to answer him nay

"Rise up rise up my pretty Polly
Rise up and go with me
I will take you to north Scotland
And there you'll married be"

"Go fetch you a bag of your father's gold
Some of your mother's fee
Two fine horses out of the stable
There stand thirty and three"

So she's lit upon her nimble-going brown
And he's mounted the dappled gray
When they come to north Scotland
It was just three hours until day

"Light you down, light you down, my pretty Polly
Light ye down I say to thee
Six King's daughters have I drowned here
And the seventh will surely be thee"

"And pull off, pull off your fine gay clothes,
Hang them on yonder tree
And they are too fine and they cost too much
For to rot in the salt lake sea"

"Then you get a sickle and you cut down the nettles
That grow so close to the brim
For I fear for to tangle me long yellow hair
And they'll tear me lily white skin"

So he's got a sickle and he's cut down the nettles
That grow so close to the brim
"For I do fear they will tangle my hair
And scratch my tender skin"

So he's turned his back all on that maid
And he's bend low over the brim
And she's picked him up so skillfully
And she's pushed the false knight in

"Lie there, lie there you false young man
Lie there in the room of me
For six King's daughters have you drownéd there
And the seventh'sdrownéd thee"

So she's lit upon her nimble going brown
She's led the dappled gray
When she's come to her father's door
It was just three hours until day

"Hush up hush up me pretty polly bird
Don't you tell tales on me
Your cage will be made of the very beaten gold
And the door of the best ivory"

But then up and spoke a fine young man
In the chamber where he lay
"What's the matter what's the matter with my pretty polly bird
Talking so long afore day"

"Oh there's two black cats at me cage and door
My life they will betray
And I'm just a-called for me pretty Polly
For to drive the cats away"

And he's followed her up he's followed her down
And It's into the room where she lay
She hadn't the strength for to flee from his arms
So they tumbled — to answer him nay

OUTLANDISH KNIGHT  from Digitrad

An outlandish knight from the north lands came
And he came a wooing me
He promised he'd take me unto the northern lands
And there he'd marry me

"Come fetch me some of your father's gold
And some of your mother's fee
And two of the best horses in the stable
Where there stand thirty and three"

He mounted on the milk white steed
And she on the dappled gray
And they rode till they came to the salt water side
An hour before the day

"Light off, light off your steed," he said
"And deliver it unto me
For six pretty maidens I have drowned here
And you the seventh shall be

"Pull off, pull off thy silken gown,
And deliver it unto me;
Methinks it looks too rich and too gay
To rot in the salt sea"

"Pull off, pull off thy silken stays,
And deliver it unto me;
Methinks they are too fine and gay
To rot in the salt sea"

"Take off, take off your Holland smock
And deliver it unto me
For it is too fine and too rich a gear
To rot with you under the sea"

"If I must take off my Holland smock
Then a turn your face from me
For it is not fitting that such a ruffian
A naked lady should see"

So he's turned his face away from her
To view the leaves so green
And she's catched him by the middle so small
And she's tumbled him into the stream

Well he swam high and he swam low
Till he came unto the side
"Fetch hold of my hand you pretty fair maid
And I will make you my bride"

"Lie there, lie there you false hearted man
Lie there instead of me
For if six pretty maidens you have drowned there
The seventh one hath drowned thee"

She's mounted on the milk white steed
And she's led the dappled gray
And she's rode till she came to her own father's hall
An hour before the day

The parrot being up in the window so high
And hearing the lady did say
"I'm afraid some ruffian has led you astray
That you've tarried so long away"

"Don't prittle, don't prattle, my Pretty Polly
Nor tell any tales on me
And your cage shall be made of the finest beaten gold
And the doors of the best ivory"

The king being sat in the window so high
And hearing the parrot did say
"What makes you cry out my Pretty Polly
So long before the day"

"It's no laughing matter," the parrot, he said
"That makes me cry out to thee
For the cat he climbed in the window so high
And I feared he would harm me"

"Well done, well done, my Pretty Polly
You have tuned your notes well to me
Now your cage shall be made of the finest beaten gold
And the doors of the best ivory"

@courting @murder @animal @trick
also see ELFKNGHT, WILLWTRE
Child #4
recorded by Frankie Armstrong on The Music Plays So Grand
tune from Sharp, English Folk Songs
filename[ OUTKNGHT
play.exeÿOUTKNGHT
SF,DC