Sheath and Knife

Traditional


It's whispered in the kitchen, it's whispered in the hall
  The broom blooms bonny, the broom blooms fair
The king's daughter goes with child, among ladies all
  And they'll never go down to the broom anymore.

It's whispered by the ladies one unto the other
"The king's daughter goes with child, unto her own brother"

He's ta'en his sister down to his father's deer park
With his yew-tree bow and arrow slung fast across his back

And when that you hear me give a loud cry
Shoot from your bow an arrow, and there let me lie

And when that you see that I am lying dead
Put me in a grave with the turf all at my head

And when he has heard her give a loud cry
A silver arrow from his bow he suddenly let fly

And he has dug a grave both long and deep
He has buried his sister with their babe all at her feet

And when he has come to his father's own hall
There was music and dancing, there were minstrels and all

Oh, the ladies asked him, "What makes thee in such pain?"
"I've lost a sheath and knife, I will never find again"

"All the ships of your father's a-sailing on the sea
Can bring as good a sheath and knife unto thee"

"All the ships of my father's a-sailing on the sea
Can never ever bring such a sheath and knife to me"


Notes:

The refrain "The broom blooms bonny..." is sung afer the first line
of each verse, "And they'll never go..." after each second line.