Bold Sea Captain, The

As the Duke of Marchant's daughter walked out one summer's day
She met a bold sea captain by chance upon her way
He says, "My pretty fair maid, if itwas not for the law
Then you and I in one bed would lie and you lie next to the wall.

“Oh, hold your peace young man,” she says, “and do not me perplex,
Before that you can lie with me, you must answer questions six;
Six questions you must answer me, and care not for the law,
Then you and I in one bed will lie, and you lie next to the wall.

Oh, what is rounder than a ring? What is higher than a tree?
Oh, what is worse than a woman’s tongue? What is deeper than the sea?
What bird sings first, what bird sings last? And where does the dew first fall?
Before that I in your bed will lie, and you lie next to the wall.”

“The globe is rounder than ring, Heaven is higher than a tree,
The devil is worse than a woman’s tongue, Hell is deeper than the sea;
The lark sings first, the thrush sings last, on the earth the first dew falls,
So, you and I in the one bed lie and you lie next to the wall.”

“You must get for me some winter fruit that in December grew,
You must get for me a winter coat that never wet went through;
You must get for me a sparrow’s thorn, and you must name them all;
Then you and I in one bed lie and you lie next to the wall.”

“My father has some winter wheat that in December grew,
My mother has a silken cloak that never wet went through;
A sparrow’s thorn is easy found, there is one on every claw,
So, you and I in one bed lie and you lie next to the wall.”

Now for my breakfast you must get a cherry without a stone,
And for my dinner you must get a chicken without a bone;
And for my supper you must get a bird without a gall,
Then you and I in the one bed lie, and you lie next to the wall.”

"Oh, when the cherry is in full bloom I am sure it has no stone
And when the chicken is in its yolk I am sure it has no bone;
The dove, she is a gentle bird - she sings without a gall,
So you and I in the one bed lie, and you lie next to the wall.

he took her by the lily white hand and led her through the hall,
He held her by the slender waist for fear that she might fall;
He laid her on his bed of down without a fear at all,
And now they two in one bed do lie, and she lies next to the wall.