The Dark-Eyed Canaller

It was a comely young lady fair
Was walking out to take the air
She met a canaller upon the way
So I paid attention, so I paid attention
To hear what they did say.

"Fair maid," said he, "while you roam alone,
The night is come and the day's far gone."
She drew a dagger, and then did cry,
"For my dark-eyed canaller, for my dark-eyed canaller
Though he may live or die.

"My every hope is based on him;
True love will wait, true love will win."
She said, while tears from her eyes did fall,
" 'Tis my dark-eyed canaller, 'tis my dark-eyed canaller
Approving my downfall."

Cried William, "Drive him from your mind,
Many as good a canaller as him you'll find;
Love turned aside and cold did grow,
Like a winter's morning, like a winter's morning
When the hills are clad with snow."

"His coal-black eyes and curly hair,
His flattering tongue my heart ensnared;
Genteel was he, no rake like you,
To advise a maiden, to advise a maiden,
To slight this jacket blue.

"It is six long years since he left our boat,
A gold ring he took and gently broke;
He left this token --here's half you see,
And the other he's keeping, and the other he's keeping
To remind him oft of me."

When William did this ring unfold,
She seemed too struck with joy and woe;
"You're welcome, William, I've land and gold,
For my dark-eyed canaller, for my dark-eyed canaller
So manly, true and bold."

Come Ladies, yes, listen, oh, come and see,
And a warning take, oh, take from me.
Always be true while your love's away,
For a cloudy morning, for a cloudy morning,
Oft brings a pleasant day.

From the Canaller's Songbook, Hullfish
Collected from Pearl Nye
DT #460
Laws N35
RG