Jack Orion Track

In the Wilderness

Jack Orion was as good a fiddler
As ever fiddled on a string
He could make young women mad
With the tune his fiddle could sing

He could fiddle the fish out of salt water
Or water from a marble stone
He could fiddle the milk out of a lady's breast
Although babies she had none

As he's played his fiddle in the king's high hall
He played them all so sound asleep
All but for the young princess
And for love, she stayed awake

She said 'come to my bower, sweet Jack Orion
When all men are at rest
As I am a lady, I am true to my word
And you will be a welcome guest'

So Jack wrapped his fiddle in a cloth of green
A glad, glad man was he
And he's run off home, to his own house
And he said 'Tom, my boy, come here to me'

'When the day it has dawned and the cock has crowed
And spread his wings so wide
Well I am a-bidden to that sweet princess' bower
All to stretch out by her side'

'Lie down lie down, my good master
And sleep long as you may
I'll keep a good watch and awaken you
Three hours before it is the day

But he rose up that worthless lad
His master's clothes did don
And a collar he cast all around his neck
He seemed to be the gentleman

And when he came to the princess' bower
He lightly rattled at the pin
The princess she was true to her word
For she rose up and let him in

But she said 'ragged are your stockings, love
And stubbly is your cheek and chin
And tangled, so tangled is your yellow hair
That I only saw yester-een'

'Well the stockings belong to my boy Tom
They were the first come to my hand
And the wind it tangled my yellow hair
As I rode quickly over the land'

Well he didn't take that fair princess
To bolster nor to bed
But down, down upon on the bower floor
That's where he quickly had her laid

Then Tom took a fiddle all in his hand
And saucy, so saucy he sang
And he's away to his master's house
Just as quickly as he can run

'Wake up, wake up my good master
I fear it is almost dawn
Wake up, wake up my good master
For it is time that you were gone'

And when Jack Orion came unto the bower
He lightly rattled at the pin
The princess she was true to her word
For she rose up and let him in

But she said, 'whither have you left with me
Your bracelet or your glove?
Or are you returned back to me again
For to know more of my love?'

Then Jack Orion swore a bloody oath
On oak and ash and bitter thorn
He said, 'lady, I never was in your house
Since the day that ere I was born'

'Oh, then it was your young foot page
That has so cruelly beguiled me
Oh woe that the blood of the ruffian boy
Should now spring in my body'

And she has pulled forth a little sharp knife
That hangs down below her knee
And dead she lay on the bower floor
At the dawning of the day

Jack Orion ran to his own house
Said 'Tom my boy come here to me
For you have worked so hard tonight
And now you will collect your fee'

'If I had killed someone tonight
Well Tom my boy I would tell thee
I have killed no-one tonight
But Tom my boy you have killed three'

Jack Orion pulled out his long sword
And he wiped the blade upon his sleeve
And he has struck off that vile lad's head
And he asked no man for leave

And he has put the sword's point to his own breast
And he put the pommel to a stone
At the dawning of that bright day
These three lives they all were gone