Long Lankin

Said the lord to his lady as he did walk out
Be aware of that lankin that’s walking about
Said the lord to his lady as he called for his horse
Be aware of that lankin that lives in the moss
Said the lord to his lady as he rode away
Be aware of that lankin that hides in the hay
Oh they locked every window and they tied every pin
But for one little window that the lankin crept in

Oh and where’s the lord of the house cried the lankin
Ah he’s away to London said the false nurse within
And where’s the little son of the house cried the lankin
He’s asleep in his cradle said the false nurse to him
Then we’ll prick him all over, we’ll prick him with a pin
And see if that’ll bring his dear lady down to him
So they pricked him all over, they pricked him with a pin
And the nurse held the basin for the blood to run in

Oh nurse how you slumber oh nurse how you snore
To leave my son Johnson to cry and to roar
Well I tried him with an apple and I tried him with a pear
Come down my dear lady and rock him in your chair
How can I come down in the dead of the night
with no fire burning and no candle light
You’ve three silver mantles as bright as the sun
Come down my pretty lady all by the light of one

And the lady come down and she thought it no harm
Oh and there stood the lankin and caught her by the arm
There’s blood in the kitchen, there’s blood in the hall
And there’s blood on the stairs where the lady did fall
Pretty Betsy was hiding in the tower on high
And she saw her father a come riding by
And its father oh father don’t lay the blame on me
Was the false nurse and the lankin who murdered your lady

And the false nurse was hanged on the gallows on high
And the lankin was burned on the furnace nearby