“Where have you been the whole day long? Son, come tell it unto me.” “I was fishing and fowling the whole day long All through mother's treachery, all through mother's treachery.”
“What put the blood on your right shoulder? Son, come tell it unto me.” “'Twas the killing of a hare, that I killed today, That I killed right manfully, that I killed right manfully.”
“The blood of the old hare it could never be so red. Son, come tell it unto me.” “'Twas the killing of a boy, that I killed today, That I killed most manfully, that I killed most manfully.”
“What came between yourself and the boy? Son, come tell it unto me.” “It was mostly the cutting of a rod That would never come a tree, that would never come a tree.”
“What are you going to do when your daddy finds out? Son, come tell it unto me.” “I will put my foot on board a ship And sail to a foreign country, and sail to a foreign country.”
“What are you going to do with your lovely young wife? Son, come tell it unto me.” “She can put her foot on board of a ship And sail e'er after me, and sail e'er after me.”
“What are you going to do with your two fine young babes? Son, come tell it unto me.” “I'll give one to my father and the other to my mother For to bear them company, for to bear them company.”
“What are you going to do with your two fine racehorses? Son, come tell it unto me.” “I will take the bridles off their necks For they'll run for more for me, they'll run for more for me.”
“What are you going to do with your two fine greyhounds? Son, come tell it unto me.” “I will take the leads all off their necks For they'll run for more for me, they'll run for more for me.”
“What are you going to do with your houses and your lands? Son, come tell it unto me.” “I will lay them bare to the birds on the air For there is no more welcome there for me, there's no more welcome there for me.”