Sing your song you laily worm That you will sing to me I never sang the song before But I will sing to thee O when I was seven years old Me mother she would die My father married the worst woman The world did ever see She’s turned me to a laily worm That lies at the foot of the tree My sister Maisery she’s made The mackerel of the sea And every Saturday at noon The mackerel comes to me She combs my hair with a silver comb And washes it in the sea It’s seven knights I have killed Since I lay at the foot of the tree And if you weren’t my own father The eighth one you would be And he’s sent for his lady gay
As fast as send could he “Where is my son and my daughter That you sent away from me?” “Your son is in the Kings high court Serving for meat and fee Your daughter’s in the Queens court As you know well to be” “O you lie, you lie you ill woman So loudly do you lie My son he is the laily worm That lies at the foot of the tree You lie, you lie you ill woman So loudly do you lie My daughter Maisery She is the mackerel of the sea”
And he’s sent to the greenwood For whins and for hawthorn He’s sent for his lady gay And there he did her burn