Grey Cock

Johnny he promised to marry me

I fear he's with some fair one and gone

There's something that ails him and I don't know what it is

But I'm weary of lying alone

Johnny he came at the appointed hour

Knocked on her window so slow

This young girl arose and hurried on her clothes

And she bid her true love welcome home

She took him by the hand and she laid him down

Found he was as cold as the clay

She said, my dearest dear, if only I had my wish

This long night would never turn to day

Where is your soft bed of down, my dear?

Where are your white holland sheets?

And where is the fair girl who watches over you

As you lie every night in your sleep?

The sea is my soft bed of down, he said

Sand be my white holland sheet

The little hungry fishes they do feed off me

As I lie every night in the deep

Then oh my little cock, my handsome little cock,

Don't crow till tis long after day

Your cage will be of the purest beaten gold

And your door of the sweet ivory

But him a being young, he crowed so very soon

Crowed three long hours before day

This young man arose and he hurried on his clothes

Farewell love, for I must go away

When will you come back again, my love

When will you come back again?

When little fishes fly and the seas they do run dry

And the hard rocks do melt in the sun