The Blind Harper

[Verse 1]
Have you heard of the blind harper
How he lived in Hogmaven town?
He went down to fair England
To steal King Henry's wanton brown
First he went unto his wife
With all the haste as go could he
"This work," he said, "Will never go well
Without the help of our good grey mare"

[Verse 2]
Said she, "You take the good grey mare
She'll run o'er hills both low and high
Take the halter in your hose
Leave the foal at home with me"
He's up and went to England gone
He went as fast as go could he
And when he's got to Carlisle gate
Who should be there but King Henry?

[Verse 3]
"Come in, come in you blind harper
And of your music let me hear"
But up and said the blind harper
"I'd rather have a stable for my mare"
The king looked over his left shoulder
And he said unto his stable groom
"Go take the poor blind harper's mare
And put her beside my wanton brown"

[Instrumental Break]

[Verse 4]
FIrst he's harped and then he sang
Till he played them all so sound asleep
Quietly he took off his shoes
Down the stairs he did creep
Straight to the stable door he's gone
With a tread so light as light could be
When he's opened and went in
He found thirty steeds and three

[Verse 5]
He took the halter from his hose
And from his purse he did not fail
He slipped it over the wanton's nose
And tied it to the grey mare's tail
He let her loose at the castle gate
She didn't fail to find her way
She went back to her own colt foal
Three long hours before the day

[Verse 6]
Then in the morning, at fair daylight
When they had ended all their cheer
Behold the wanton brown had gone
So had the poor blind harper's mare
"Oh, dear alas," said the blind harper
"And ever alas that I came here
At home I've got a little colt foal
In England they stole my good grey mare"

[Verse 7]
"Hold your tongue," said King Henry
"And all your mournings let them be
You shall get a far better mare
Well paid shall your colt foal be"
So again he harped and again he sang
The sweetest music he let them hear
He was paid for a foal that he never had lost
Three times worth the good grey mare

[Outro]
He was paid for a foal that he never had lost
And three times worth the good grey mare