Lady Isabel and the Elf-Knight Child 4 by Francis James Child Lyrics

Fair lady Isabel sits in her bower sewing,
Aye as he gowans grow gay
There she heard an elf-knight blawing his horn.
The first morning in May

'If I had yen horn that I hear blawing,
And yen elf-knight to sleep in my bosom.'
This maiden had scarcely these words spoken,
Till in at her window the elf-knight has luppen.

'It's a very strange matter, fair maiden,' said he,
'I canna blaw my horn but ye call on me.
'But will ye go to yon greenwood side?
If ye canna gang, I will cause you to ride.'

He leapt on a horse, and she on another,
And they rode on to the greenwood together.
'Light down, light down, lady Isabel,' said he,
'We are come to the place where ye are to die.'

'Hae mercy, hae mercy, kind sir, on me,
Till ance my dear father and mother I see.'
'Seven king's-daughters here hae I slain,
And ye shall be the eight o them.'
'O sit down a while, lay your head on my knee,
That we may hae some rest before that I die.'
She stroakd him sae fast, the nearer he did creep,
Wi a sma charm she lulld him fast asleep.

Wi his ain sword-belt sae fast as she ban him,
Wi his ain dag-durk sae sair as she dang him.
'If seven king's-daughters here ye hae slain,
Lye ye here, a husband to them a'.'