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Young Hunting (Child 68)

from Blood & Roses Volume 4 by Ewan MacColl & Peggy Seeger

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All Child's texts of this ballad are northern... perhaps a Scots ancestry? It has all but disappeared in the British Isles but maintains a vigorous life in the United States where it often carries the story on very few verses. It has even entered the country-arid-western idiom in a much reduced form. The original ballad was very complex - rich in motifs, superstition and characterisation. The bird flew away to the King's court to tell the King, who then apprehends the lady. She swears her innocence and tries to blame the maid who helped her drag the corpse to the river (well). Trial by fire burns only the maid's hands. Trial by fire consumes the murderess utterly. These elements have disappeared from the North American versions, most of which are found in the Southern states. Our version is from the singing of Mrs. Jane Gentry, of Hot Springs, North Carolina.

lyrics

Light down, light down, little Henry Lee
And stay with me this night;
You will have my candle and coal
My fire's burning bright.
My fire's burning bright.

I won't light down. I can't light down.
I won't come in, said he;
There's a lady ten times fairer than you
In Lord Barnet's hall for me.
In Lord Barnet's hall for me.

He's leaned him o'er her soft pillow,
For to give her a kiss so sweet,
With her little pen-knife held keen and sharp,
She's wounded him full deep,
She's wounded him full deep.

I will light down, I must light down,
I will come in, said he;
There is no lady in Barnet's Hall
That I love more better than thee.
That I love more better than thee.

O live, my love. Lord Henry, she said,
For an hour or two or three
And all I the cards about my waist
I'd freely give to thee
I'd freely give to thee

All them cards about your waist
They'd do no good to me:
Love, don't you see my own heart's blood?
It's trickling by my knee.
It's trickling by my knee.

She took him by his long yellow hair,
She took him by his feet;
She dragged him to her cool draw-well
Full fifty fathoms deep.
Full fifty fathoms deep.

Lie there, lie there, you Henry Lee
I know you will not swim;
That lady ten times fairer than me
She'll never see you again.
She'll never see you again.

Light down, light down, you pretty little bird
Light down on my right knee;
No, a girl who'd murder her own true-love
Would kill a little bird like me.
Would kill a little bird like me.

I wished I had my bending bow,
My arrow and my string;
I'd shoot a dart so nigh your heart
That you'd no longer sing.
That you'd no longer sing.

I wished you had your bending bow
I wished you had your string,
I'd fly away to Barnet's Hall
You'd always hear me sing.
You'd always hear me sing.

credits

from Blood & Roses Volume 4, released April 12, 1986
Peggy Seeger - vocals, banjo

Produced by Calum MacColl
Engineered by Nigel Cazaly

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Ewan MacColl London, UK

This site is maintained by the MacColl family, aiming to make Ewan's catalogue available to download.
Ewan MacColl is known to most as a songwriter and singer, but he was also of significant influence in the worlds of theatre and radio broadcasting. His art reached huge numbers through the folk clubs, greater numbers through his recordings and untold millions through the radio. ... more

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