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38 AMERICAN BALLADS AND SONGS
He run, he run to Lord Thomas's gate, And he dingled at the ring and it rung, And he dingled at the ring and it rung. "What news, what news, my little foot-page? What news you've brought to me?" "Little Matthy Groves is at your house In bed with the gay lady."
"If that be a lie you've brought to me,
And a lie I expect it to be,
If there is e'er a green tree in these whole worlds,
A hangman you shall be.
"If that be the truth you've brought to me, And the truth I don't expect it to be, You may wed my youngest daughter, And you may have all I've got."
Lord Thomas's wife raised up about half a doze asleep. "Lay still, lay still," little Matthy Groves says, "Lay still, I tell to thee,
For it's nothing but your father's little shepherd boy A-driving the wolves from the sheep."
When little Matthy Groves did wake
Lord Thomas was at his feet.
"Rise up, rise up," Lord Thomas he says,
"And put your clothing on,
For it never shall be known in old England
That I slew a naked man. |
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