| |
| WOULD I were a falcon wild, | |
| I should spread my wings and soar, | |
| Then I should come swooping down | |
| By a wealthy burgher’s door. | |
| |
| In his house there dwells a maid, | 5 |
| She is called fair Magdalene, | |
| And a fairer damsel brown | |
| All my days I have not seen. | |
| |
| On a Monday morning early, | |
| Monday morning, they relate, | 10 |
| Magdalene was seen a-walking | |
| Through the city’s northern gate. | |
| |
| Then the maidens said: “Thy pardon— | |
| Magdalene, where wouldst thou go?” | |
| —“Oh, into my father’s garden, | 15 |
| Where I went last night, you know.” | |
| |
| And when she to the garden came, | |
| And straight into the garden ran, | |
| There lay beneath the linden-tree | |
| Asleep, a beautiful young man. | 20 |
| |
| “Wake up, young man, be stirring, | |
| Oh rise, for time is dear, | |
| I hear the keys a-rattling, | |
| And mother will be here.” | |
| |
| “Hear’st thou her keys a-rattling, | 25 |
| And thy mother must be nigh, | |
| Then o’er the heath this minute | |
| Oh, come with me, and fly!” | |
| |
| And as they wandered o’er the heath, | |
| There for these twain was spread, | 30 |
| A shady linden-tree beneath, | |
| A silken bridal-bed. | |
| |
| And three half-hours together, | |
| They lay upon the bed. | |
| “Turn round, turn round, brown maiden: | 35 |
| Give me thy mouth so red!” | |
| |
| “Thou say’st so much of turning round, | |
| But naught of wedded troth, | |
| I fear me I have slept away | |
| My faith and honour both.” | 40 |
| |
| “And fear’st thou, thou hast slept away | |
| Thy faith and honour too, | |
| I say I’ll wed thee yet, my dear, | |
| So thou shalt never rue.” | |
| |
| Who was it sang this little lay, | 45 |
| And sang it o’er with cheer? | |
| On St. Annenberg in the town, | |
| It was the mountaineer. | |
| |
| He sang it there right gaily | |
| Drank mead and cool red wine, | 50 |
| Beside him sat and listened | |
| Three dainty damsels fine. | |
| |
