The Arbutus

歌詞

Our king, he has a daughter fair Arbutus is her name And he has gone a soldiering To the court of the king of Spain Where our harpers sang of her gentle grace Of her beauty and her face And the Spanish king's declared his love Begged she might share his name Our Irish king, he's hurried home With all speed he could command And there he's told his daughter fair He's promised away her hand [Instrumental] Her lovely eyes, they filled with tears And her cheeks were scarlet red "Oh Father, dear, I can't marry him I'd rather you see me dead" "Oh, but you shall do as I command I swear it on my sword Go dress yourself in bright array I'll hear not another word" "But Father dear, I love a man Will Winsboro is his name And I'd not leave my own true love For the hand of the king of Spain" "But I swore you were a maiden fair And my Chiefs did all agree I command you now, take off your gown That I may examine thee" "Oh, Father dear, don't shame me so I would rather you see me dead Before I'd let your noble lords Search for my maidenhead" "Take off, take off your very brown gown And stand upon the stone For if you be a maiden or none The truth it must be known" So she's taken off her very brown gown And she's let the gown fall free But before its hem could touch the ground She's turned into a tree And her lover's turned to the gentle breeze Through her branches he does play And she has shed her soft brown bark 'Till this very day