The Brown Girl (2)

She said "I'm brown as brown can be, I have eyes like a sloe,
I'm brisk as a nightingale, wild as any doe",
She sang, lall lall de deedle derro, lall lall de deedle derro,
Sing derro-lie-lee.

She said, "My love wrote a letter, a love letter from town,
He could not love me, for I was so brown.
She sang, lall lall de deedle derro, lall lall de deedle derro,
Sing derro-lie-lee.

I sent it back again, I valued him not,
Whether he loved me or whether he not,
I sang, lall lall de deedle derro, lall lall de deedle derro,
Sing derro-lie-lee.

Now six months are over, are over and past,
He wrote another letter, he was sick unto death.
She sang, lall lall de deedle derro, lall lall de deedle derro,
Sing derro-lie-lee.

There never was a doctor could ease pain like this,
Would you go to him speedy and live life with him?
She sang, lall lall de deedle derro, lall lall de deedle derro,
Sing derro-lie-lee.

Now you'll hear the love she had for that lovesick man,
All that summer day she would walk, she'd not run,
She sang, lall lall de deedle derro, lall lall de deedle derro,
Sing derro-lie-lee.

Now hear the love she had for that lovesick man,
She was a whole summer day in the mire walking on,
She sang, lall lall de deedle derro, lall lall de deedle derro,
Sing derro-lie-lee.

When she came to his bedside, where he lay so weak,
She could not for laughing stand up on her feet,
She sang, lall lall de deedle derro, lall lall de deedle derro,
Sing derro-lie-lee.

I'll do as much for my love as any young girl may,
I'll dance upon his grave for twelve months and a day!
She sang, lall lall de deedle derro, lall lall de deedle derro,
Sing derro-lie-lee.

Child #295
Recorded by Martin Carthy (Skin & Bone)
RB