As I Roved Out

 
As I roved out on a May morning, on a May morning quite early
I met my love upon the way, oh Lord, but she was early
Her hair was dark, her teeth were white and her buckles shone like silver
She had a dark and a roving eye, and her hair hung o’er her shoulder.
And she sang a liddle-eyedle liddle-eyedle um
And she eyedle-liddle um and she eydle-liddle doo and she landie.

Who are you my pretty fair maid, who are you my darling?
Who are you my pretty fair maid, who are you my darling?
She answered me right modestly, I am my mammy’s daughter
With me ro-rum rah, fraddle deedle dah, dye-dee addle-iddle airy-o.

How old are you, my pretty fair miss, how old are you, my darling?
She answered me right modestly, sixteen come Monday morning.
And she sang a liddle-eyedle liddle-eyedle um
And she eyedle-liddle um and she eydle-liddle doo and she landie.

Do you want a man my pretty fair miss, do you want a man, my darling?
Do you want a man my pretty fair miss, do you want a man, my darling?
She answered me right modestly, I would but for my mammy
With me ro-rum rah, fraddle deedle dah, dye-dee addle-iddle airy-o.

Will you come up to me mammy’s house when the moon is shining brightly
I’ll arise and let you in, and the devil o’ one will hear me
And she sang a liddle-eyedle liddle-eyedle um
And she eyedle-liddle um and she eydle-liddle doo and she landie.

I went up to her mammy’s house when the moon shone bright and clearly
I went up to her mammy’s house when the moon shone bright and clearly
She arose to let me in but her mammy chanced to hear her
With me ro-rum rah, fraddle deedle dah, dye-dee addle-iddle airy-o.

She took her by the top of her hair and into the parlor brought her
With the end of a hazel stick she was a well-bet daughter
But she still sang a liddle-eyedle liddle-eyedle um
And she eyedle-liddle um and she eydle-liddle doo and she landie.

She took my horse by the bridle and rein and led him to the stable
She took my horse by the bridle and rein and led him to the stable
There’s plenty of oats for the soldier’s horse as fast as he can take it
With me ro-rum rah, fraddle deedle dah, dye-dee addle-iddle airy-o.

She took me by her lily-white hand and led me to a table
There’s plenty of wine for the soldier lad as fast as he can take it
And she sang a liddle-eyedle liddle-eyedle um
And she eyedle-liddle um and she eydle-liddle doo and she landie.

Then she went up and dressed the bed, she dressed it soft and easy
She went up and dressed the bed, she dressed it soft and easy
I went up and I rolled her in, oh, my lassie, are you able?
With me ro-rum rah, fraddle deedle dah, dye-dee addle-iddle airy-o.

It’s there I stayed till the break of day and the devil o’ one did hear me
It’s there I stayed till the break of day and the devil o’ one did hear me
I got up and put on me clothes, oh, my lassie I must leave you
With me ro-rum rah, fraddle deedle dah, dye-dee addle-iddle airy-o.

When will you return again, and when will we get married
When broken Delft make Christmas bells, it’s then we will get married
And she sang a liddle-eyedle liddle-eyedle um
And she eyedle-liddle um and she eydle-liddle doo and she landie.

Now a pint at night is my delight and a gallon in the morning
The old women are my heartbreak, but the young ones are me darlings
And she sang a liddle-eyedle liddle-eyedle um
And she eyedle-liddle um and she eydle-liddle doo and she landie.
 

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