The Cottage in the Wood

It's of a cottage in a wood
All underneath a hill he stood
Of a cottage in the wood
All underneath the hill he stood
Which I never seen before
Which I never seen before

By there come a pedlar man
Through and through the woods he ran
By there come the pedlar man
As through and through the woods he ran
And he cried all at the door
And he cried all at the door

Oh it's forty miles I travelled today
Spied a cottage by the way
Forty miles I travelled today
I spied a cottage by the way
Which I never seen before
Which I never seen before

Lady looked out of her window so high
She saw the pedlar standing by
Lady looked out of her window so high
She saw the pedlar standing by
Sing your song you pedlar man
Your song you lately have begun

For me Mum and Dad are fast asleep
Brothers have gone to mind the sheep
Mum and Dad are fast asleep
Brothers have gone to mind the sheep
And I dare not let you in
And I dare not let you in

Oh but it rains it flows it hails and snows
And I am wet all through my clothes
Oh it rains it flows it hails it snows
And I am wet all through my clothes
And I pray you let me in
And I pray you let me in

For me and my pack is worth twenty pound
All in silver and gold to find
For me and my pack is worth twenty pound
All in silver and gold to find
Freely I would give it to thee
All to lie one night with thee

And he has sworn by his hair of red
He would have her maidenhead
He has sworn by his hair of red
That he would have her maidenhead
And he cried all at the door
And he cried all at the door

Oh but it rains it flows it hails it snows
And I am wet all through my clothes
Oh it rains it flows it hails it snows
And I am wet all through my clothes
And I pray you let me in
I pray you let me in

No kind sir that never can be
There's nobody in the house by me
No kind sir that never can be
There's nobody in the house by me
And I dare not let you in
I dare not let you in

You must read my riddle and read it right
If you would lie with me this night
You must read my riddle and read it right
If you would lie with me this night
Riddle me reet and riddle me right
Where was I on Saturday night

If water was my prison to be
I would swim for liberty
If water was my prison to be
I would swim for liberty
So what was the boat you built for me
Down the woods and under a tree

For one moonlit night as I sat high
I looked for one but two came by*
For one moonlit night as I sat high
I looked for one but two came by
The boughs did bend the leaves did shake
To see the hole that the fox did make

The pedlar cursed the pedlar swore
So loudly beat all at the door
The pedlar cursed the pedlar swore
So loudly beat all at the door
Get you gone you pedlar man
For I know you and where you're from

And she has looked out of her window so high
She's spied her brothers come riding by
She looked out of her window so high
She's spied her brothers come riding by
Get you gone you pedlar man
For I know you and where you're from

Seven brothers came to the door
So loudly they the horn did blow
Seven brothers came to the door
So loudly they the horn did blow
Down on his knees the pedlar fall
For mercy he did shout and bawl

Oh it's all night long your grave I made
All day long in wait I laid
All night long your grave I made
And all day long in wait I laid
The lady laughed the lady sang
As through the woods the pedlar ran

Around his heels the hounds they ran
As round his head the bullets rang
Round his heels the hounds they ran
As round his head the bullets rang
The boughs did bend the leaves did shake
To hear the cries that the fox did make