Knight of the North Land- McIntire (CA-UT) pre1947 Hubbard B
[From Ballads and Songs from Utah, Hubbard, 1961 version B. This is really a California version. Hubbard points out the the informant's father the source of this version taught in Utah. Version A was published in the JAFL.
R. Matteson 2014]
B. "The Knight of the North Land." Miss Marie Murray of Heber sent the words of the ballad July 27,1947. she obtained it from Mrs. Cleo Barzee McIntire of Upland, California. Whose father sang several ballads and folksongs when he was a school teacher in Heber, Utah. Mrs. McIntire added the following note about her father: "He used to recite and sing these songs at house parties and family gatherings in Heber. But I learned them from him when he would sit on my bed and sing me to sleep. He sang around the house, He generally woke me up with a song."
'Twas of a knight in the north land,
Who courted a lady of high degree;
He promised to take her unto the north land
And married they would be,
And married they would be.
. . . .[1]
. . . .
For all the king's horses there were in the stable,
For there stood thirty and three,
For there stood thirty and three.
He mounted on the milk-white steed,
And she on the dappled gray.
They rode till they came unto the seashore
Three hours before it was day,
Three hours before it was day.
"Mount off, mount off, my pretty fair miss,
Mount off, mount off," said he,
"For it's six kings' daughters I've drowned here,
And the seventh one you shall be,
And tire seventh one you shall be.
"Take off that silken gown," said he,
"And give it unto me,
For I think it looks too rich and rare
To rot in the salt, salt sea,
To rot in the salt, salt sea."
"If I must take off my silken gown
You must turn your back unto me,
For I don't think it fit for a ruffian like thee
An undressed lady to see,
An undressed lady to see."
He turned himself quite round about,
While she did bitterly weep;
She caught him by the coat collar
And plunged him into the deep,
And plunged him into the deep.
"Lie there, lie there, you false hearted man,
Lie there, lie there," said she,
"For it's six kings' daughters you've drownded here,
But the seventh one drowndeth thee,
But the seventh one drowndeth thee."
Then she mounted on the milk-white steed
And led the dappled gray,
She rode till she came to her father's castle
Two hours before it was day,
Two hours before it was day.
Then up spoke the poll parrot,
Who was up in the castle so high,
"Where have you been, my pretty Polly,
So long before it is day,
So long before it is day?"
"Hold your tongue, poll parrot,
And tell no tales on me,
And your cage shall be lined with a glittering gold
And hang in the green willow tree,
And hang in the green willow tree."
Then up speaks the old father,
Who on his pillow doth lie,
"What are you twittering about," said he,
"So long before it is day,
So long before it is day?"
"Three gray kittens came to my cage door
To take my life away,
I was calling on your daughter Polly
To drive those kittens away,
"Well done, well done, my pretty Polly,
Well done, well done," said she.
"Your cage shall be lined with a glittering gold
And hang in a green willow tree,
And hang in a green willow tree."
1. This is a suggestion for the missing part:
Go get some of your father's gold,
And a part of your mother's fee,
And two of all the King's horses that were in the stable,