Old Horse - Martin Carthy

Old horse old horse what brought you here

Carted stones this many’s the year

Killed by stones and sore abuse

They salt you down for sailors' use

A warrior am I and at war I’ve been

Fighting for my country and king

Now I’m old and I’m in decay

It’s poor old horse get on your way

My keeping once was the stable wall

Free from all cold winds and harm

Now in the fields I am forced to go

Turned out in the cold and rain and snow

My feeding once was the oats and hay

That grew in the fields and the meadows gay

Now I’ll get no such at all

But pull at the short grass by the wall

The sailors they do me despise

Kick my body and damn my eyes

Cut my meat and pick my bones

Throw the rest to Davey Jones

Here is a hoof that was so well shod

Likewise a hide that sweat so hard

Whipped him lashed him drove him down

Rise up old horse and shine again

Acknowledgements