The Blind Harper ft. Dónal Lunny Lyrics

Have you heard of the blind harper

How he lived in Lochmaben town

He would go to fair England

To steal King Henry's wanton brown

But first he's gone unto his wife

With all the speed that he could show

This work he says it'll never go well

Without the help of our good grey mare

She says you take the good grey mare

She'll run o'er hills both low and high

Sit you on the grey mare's back

And leave her foal at home with me

So he is off to England gone

Even as fast as go could he

When he came to Carlisle gates

Who should be there but the King Henry

The king he looked over his left shoulder

And he says unto his serving groom

Take the poor blind harper's mare

And put her beside my wanton brown

And the harper harped and then he sang

And he charmed them all so fast asleep

Straightway he took off his shoes

Quietly down the stairs did creep

When he came to the stable door

With a tread as light as light could be

When he opened and went in

He found thirty steeds and three

And he's taken the halter from his hose

And from his purpose he did not fail

He tied it over the wanton's nose

And he's tied it to the grey mare's tail

And he's loosed them out of the castle gates

And the mare didn't fail to find her way

She was at Lochmaben town

Three long hours before the day

And the very next morning in broad daylight

When they had ended all their cheer

Behold the wanton brown was gone

Likewise the poor blind harper's mare

It's O and alas says the blind harper

It's ever and alas that I came here

In Scotland I've lost me a good grey foal

In England they've stolen me old grey mare

Hold your talking you blind harper

And again of your music let us hear

Well paid shall your colt foal be

You will have a far better mare

So the harper harped and then he sang

And sweet was the music he let then hear

He was paid for a foal that he never had lost

And three times over for the good grey mare