Loving Henry

Cat. #1400 (MFH #354) - As sung by Fran Majors, Wichita, Kansas on

VERSE 1
Get Down, get down, loving Henry, she said
An' stay alnight with me
There's a chair for you and a chair for me
And a candle a burning free
Well, I can't get down Lady Marget, he said
An' stay alnight with thee
For my only little girl in th Arkansas land
Will wait long for me coming home

VERSE 2
--- --- --- --- from th bone of his saddle
Gave her kisses, one, two, three
She drew a sharp knife all in her right hand
An' pierced 'im both wide an' deep
Ride on, ride on, loving Henry, she said
And ride beneath th sun
For your only little girl in th Arkansas land
Will wait long for you coming home

VERSE 3
Well, I can't ride on, Lady Marget, he said
An' ride beneath th sun
For can't you see my own heart's blood
Come tricklin' down my knee

VERSE 4
Some taken him by th lily white feet
Some taken him by th hand
They dragged him out to th waters edge
And there they plunged him in
Lay there, lay there, loving Henry, she said
Till th meat rots of a your bones
For your only litte girl in th Arkansas land
Will wait long for you coming home

VERSE 5
Fly down, fly down, pretty parrot, she said
An' set upon my knee
An' your cage shall be of th yella beaten gold
And th doors of th ivory
Well, I cain't fly down an' I won't fly down
An' set upon your knee
For a girl that'd murder her own true love
Would kill a little bird like me

VERSE 6
Well, I wish I had my new cedar bow
An' an arrow to fit my string
I'd shoot a dart thru that neat little nest
That looks so neat and clean
Well, you ain't got no new cedar bow
Nor an arrer to fit your string
So, I sit right here in my old, old cage
An' sweet notes I will sing

Variants