King Orfeo- Andrew Calhoun; 2003
Andrew Calhoun's recording is a modernized re-write derived from the Child A text and the text printed by Emily Lyle. The tune is John Stickle's.
King Orfeo- Traditional, arr. Andrew Calhoun, recorded on Telfer's Cows; Folk Ballads From Scotland CD
There was a King lived in the East
Green the wood grows early
Who loved a lady in the West
Where the hart runs yearly
This king he to the West did ride
And he brought home a comely bride
This king is to the hunting gone
He left his lady all alone
"Oh, I wish ye'd never gone away,
For your hall is filled with woe today.
The king o' Faerie with his dart
Has pierced your lady to the heart."
The King then called his nobles all
To guard her corpse within the hall
But when the lords all fell asleep
Her corpse out of the house did sweep
The king is to the wildwood gone
Till he with hair was overgrown
When he had sat for seven years
A company to him drew near
Some did ride and some did run
He spied his lady them among
There stood a hall upon a hill
When they entered, all was still
And after them the king has gone
But when he came, t'was a grey stone
There came a boy out of the hall
"Ye're bidden come in among us all."
The king did enter in the hall
And he went in among them all.
And first he played the notes o' noy
And then he played the notes' o' joy
And then he played a merry reel
That might have made a sick heart heal.
Then he took out his pipes to play
For his poor heart did pine away
And first he played the notes o' noy
And then he played the notes o' joy
And then he played a merry reel
That might have made a sick heart heal
The king of faerie then did say
"What shall we give thee for thy play?"
"For my play I will thee tell
I'll have my lady Isabel."
"Thy sister's son, unworthy thing
Tomorrow shall be crowned king.
"Ye take your lady and go home
And ye shall be king o'er all your own."
He took his lady and went home
And now he's king o'er all his own.