The Blind Harper

The Blind Harper - Kate Rusby

Have you heard of the blind harper

Now he lived in Hogmaven town

He went down to fair England

To steal King Henry's wanton Brown

First he went unto his wife

With all the haste as go could he

This work he said will never go well

Without the help of our good grey mare

Said she you take the good grey mare

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

Go take the halter in your hose

And leave the foal at home with me

He's up and went to England gone

He went as fast as go could he

And when he got to Carlisle gates

Who should be there but King Henry

Come in come in you blind harper

And of your music let me hear

But up and said the blind harper

I'd rather have a stable for my mare

The king looked over his left shoulder

And he said unto his stable groom

Go take the poor blind harper's mare

And put her beside my wanton brown

Then he's harped and then he sang

Til he played them all so sound asleep

And quietly he took off his shoes

And down the stairs he did creep

Straight to the stable door he's gone

With a tread so light as light could be

When he opened and went in

He found thirty steeds and three

He took the halter from his horse

And from his purse he did not fail

He slipped it over the wanton's nose

And tied it to the grey mare's tail

Then he let her loose at the castle gates

She didn't fail to find her way

She went back to her own colt foal

Three long hours before the day

Then in the morning at fair daylight

When they had ended all their cheer

Behold the wantong brown had gone

So had the poor blind harper's mare

Oh Alas said the blind harper

Ever als that I came here

In Scotland I've got a little colt foal

In England they stole my good grey mare

Hold your tongue said King Henry

And all your mournings let them be

You shall get a far better mare

And well paid shall our colt foal be

Again he harped and again he sang

The sweetest music he let them hear

He was paid for a foal that he never lost

And three times worth the good grey mare

He was paid for a foal that he never lost

And three times worth the good grey mare