Sing your song you laily worm
That you will sing to me
I never sang the song before
But I will sing to thee
O when I was seven years old
Me mother she would die
My father married the worst woman
The world did ever see
She’s turned me to a laily worm
That lies at the foot of the tree
My sister Maisery she’s made
The mackerel of the sea
And every Saturday at noon
The mackerel comes to me
She combs my hair with a silver comb
And washes it in the sea
It’s seven knights I have killed
Since I lay at the foot of the tree
And if you weren’t my own father
The eighth one you would be
And he’s sent for his lady gay
As fast as send could he
“Where is my son and my daughter
That you sent away from me?”
“Your son is in the Kings high court
Serving for meat and fee
Your daughter’s in the Queens court
As you know well to be”
“O you lie, you lie you ill woman
So loudly do you lie
My son he is the laily worm
That lies at the foot of the tree
You lie, you lie you ill woman
So loudly do you lie
My daughter Maisery
She is the mackerel of the sea”
And he’s sent to the greenwood
For whins and for hawthorn
He’s sent for his lady gay
And there he did her burn
