Sheath And Knife

Maddy Prior

It's whispered in the kitchen, it's whispered in the hall
The broom blooms bonny, 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, to 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

Now when that you hear me give a loud cry
Shoot from thy blow an arrow, and there let me lie

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

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

And when he came to his father's hall
There was music and dancing and minstrels and all

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

"There are 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 bring such a sheath and knife to me

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

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

And when he came to his father's hall
There was music and dancing and minstrels and all

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

"There are 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 bring such a sheath and knife to me"