Allison Gross Oh, Allison Gross, that lives in yon tower The ugliest witch in the north country Has trysted me one day up in her bower And many fair speech she made to me She stroked my head and she combed my hair And she set me down softly on her knee Says, "Gin ye will be my leman so true Sae many braw things as I would ye gi'" She showed me a mantle of red scarlet With golden flowers and fringes fine Says, "Gin ye will be my leman so true This goodly gift it shall be thine" "Away, away, you ugly witch Hold far away and let me be I never will be your leman so true And I wish I were out of your company" She next brought me a sark of the softest silk Well wrought with pearls about the band Says, "Gin ye will be my ain true love This goodly gift you shall command" She showed me a cup of the good red gold Well set with jewels so fair to see Says, "Gin ye will be my leman sae true This goodly gift I will ye gi'" "Away, away, you ugly witch Hold far away and let me be For I wouldna aince kiss your ugly mouth For all the gifts that you could gi'" She's turned her right and round about And thrice she blew on a grass-green horn And she swore by the moon and the stars abeen That she would gar me rue the day I was born Then out she has taken a silver wand And she's turned her three times round and round She's muttered such words till my strength it failed And I fell down senseless upon the ground She's turned me into an ugly worm And gard me toddle around the tree And aye, on ilka Saturday night My sister Maisry came to me With silver basin and silver comb To comb my head upon her knee Before I had kissed her ugly mouth I'd rather have toddled about the tree But as it fell out on last Halloween When the seely court was riding by The queen lighted down on a rowan bank Not far frae the tree where I wont to lie She took me up in her milk white hand And she's stroked me three times on her knee She changed me again to my ain proper shape And I nae more maun toddle about the tree Child #35 Recorded by Steeleye Span, Parcel of Rogues SOF
Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!