Jack Rowland - Martin Carthy

There was Jack Rowland and his two brothers

Went out to play at ball

And there was their sister Ellen Rowland

in the midst among them all

She tossed the ball so very high

She caught it with her knee

She kicked it high over high churchyard

Where no-one it could see

And she’s hitched her skirts up around her waist

And after the ball she’s run

They waited long her three brothers

But she never come home again

So up the hill and down the hill

Three weeping brothers roamed

They told their mother of Ellen Rowland

How she has vanished and gone

And it’s Oh my love and cries their mother

And ever alas cries she

For she has gone with the King of the Hill

No more by us she’ll be seen

So up and rose the first brother

And he was a proud young man

He swore an oath and a solemn oath

That Ellen he’d seek and find

And he’s run down to his father’s stable

He’s saddled the bonny grey

And as the sun looked over the hill

We watched him ride away

And up and rose the second brother

A proud young man was he

And he swore an oath and a solemn oath

That Ellen he’d find and free

And he’s run down to his father’s stable

He’s saddled the bonny brown

And as the sun stood up in the sky

We watched him ride from home

We stayed long and very long

With our gloves all in our hand

And sad were hearts all over the town

For he never come home again

Up and rose then Jack the fool

He’s the youngest of all the three

He’s saddled and bridled his mother’s horse

But he wept so bitterly

She spoke to him his mother’s horse

As they rode out of the way

She says Never you fear you Jack Rowland

But you listen what I do say

And remember the song the spider sings

When she comes to court the fly

For never a drop must you eat nor drink

As we go along our road

And all that help us on the way

You must leave them lying dead

So Jack Rowland has left his good long bow

And his arrows one by one

And he’s taken his father’s good long gun

That never was drawn in vain

And never a drop did they eat or drink

As on the way they rode

And all that helped them on the way

Jack Rowland has left them dead

The horse that Jack Rowland sat on

She was black as the dark midnight

And her eyes shone far as the evening star

That put the sun to flight

As Jack Rowland to the dark tower came

And he stood there without

Three times all around the place

The horse spun round about

And she cried Open door and open door

Open and let me ride

And e’er the third time she has spoke

See the door swing open wide

And he has spied some lovely tower

that was lined with the silver grey

All hung with mists and a heavy dew

That shone clear as any day

No ceiling could this young man spy

No windows were there to be seen

But all round his head it shone blood red

As the sun that sets at e’en

And he rode on and further on

As the tears came falling fast

For he thought he saw his sister Ellen

Wandering like any ghost

And she cried Woe be to you Jack Rowland

For your life’s not worth a pin

For had you a hundred thousand lives

You should not spare one of them

Oh pity on you Jack Rowland

Why stayed you not at home

When the King of the Hill you find

Then help you will find none

With that in come the King himself

All glorious to be seen

For he come riding the storm and the wind

With a club all in each hand And he cried

Rise rise Jack Rowland

Rise rise and run

Now I smell Jack Rowland’s blood

Jack Rowland’s day is done

Get up get up you Jack Rowland

If you would fight with me

And we will see how a frightened man

Will let his courage flee

And first he appeared as a raging bear

And then as a writhing snake

And then as a herd of angry bulls

That roared all in his face

Then he became a burning bush

With a flame that leapt so high

But he sang the song the spider sings

When he comes to court the fly

But up and rose Jack Rowland’s horse

So loud I heard her cry

Stand fast and fear you not she cries

No harm will come to thee

There she stood on the high hill top

And the stars blazed in her mane

And she has turned to a mighty flood

And she bore down on the flame

The King has changed to a little fish

To float all in the sea

And he fell as fast into the flood

As the dead branch from a tree

But she has changed to ropes and lines

And she hunted the ocean floor

But he has become a fishing smack

And he hauled all lines aboard

So she has changed all in the sky

To a gale that howled and roared

She filled his sails she beat his sides

And she drove him onto shore

So he’s become the deep dark night

And he dropped to the valley floor

But she rose up as the summer dawn

And she drove him on before

And she cried Rise rise Jack Rowland

And the sun will rise with thee

And as the dew falls from the leaves

We shall see what you shall see

And as the dew fell from the leaves

And the daylight drew all round

He saw his sister and his two brothers

Mother naked on the ground

And he’s taken them each all in his arms

And he’s kissed them cheek and chin

He’s wrapped them up in a cloak of gold

And they’ve gone riding home

Up and spoke the King himself

As he vanished in the sun

Oh I should have taken your horse he cries

And struck her blind and lame