Jack Orion was as good fiddler
As ever fiddled on a string
And he could drive the women wild
With the noise his wires would ring
He'd fiddle a fish from the sea
Or water from a marble stone
Milk from out of a maiden's breast
Though baby she had none
There he played in the castle hall
And there he played them fast asleep
Except it was for the young countess
And for love she stayed awake
When the day has dawned and the co*ks have crown
And flapped their wings so wide
It's you must come up to my chamber door
And lie down by me side
So he wrapped his fiddle in a cloth of green
And stolen out on his tippy toe
Off back to his young man Tom
As fast as he could go
When the day has dawned and the co*ks have crown
And flapped their wings so wide
I'm bid to go up to that lady's door
And lie out by her side
Lie down, lie down, me good master
And here's a blanket to your hand
And I'll waken you in as good a time
As any co*k in the land
Tom took the fiddle into his hand
And he fiddled and he sang for a full hour
Played his master fast to sleep
And he's off to the lady's bower
And when he come to the countess' door
He twirled so softly at the pin
And the lady true into her promise
Rose up and let him in
He did tnot ake our lady gay
To bolster nor to bed
But down upon the cold hard floor
Right soon he had her laid
Oh ragged are your stockings, love
And stubbly is your cheek and chin
And tousled is that yellow hair
I saw late yestre'en
Oh my stockings belong to my boy Tom
But they were the first came to my hand
And the wind did tousle me yellow hair
As I rode all over the land
Tom took the fiddle into his hand
And he fiddled and he played so saucily
He's off back to his master's house
As fast as go could he
Up and up, my good master
Why snore you there so loud?
For there is not a co*k in all this land
That has clapped his wings and crowed
Jack Orion took the fiddle into his hand
And he fiddled and he played so merrily
He's off into his lady's door
As fast as go could he
And when he come to the lady's door
He twirled so softly at the pin
Saying, "Oh me dear it's your true love
Rise up and let me in"
"Well did you not now leave behind
A golden watch nor a velvet glove
Are you come now back again
To taste more of me love?"
Jack Orion he swore a bloody oath
By oak, by ash, by bitter thorn
"Lady, I never was in this room
Since the day that I was born."
"Oh then it was your own boy Tom
That cruelly has beguiled me
And woe the blood of the ruffian boy
Should spring in me fair body"
Jack Orion flew off to his home, cried
"Tom, me boy, come here to me"
And he hung that boy from his own gatepost
High as the willow tree