I shall tell of a hunter whose life was undone By the cruel hand of evil at the setting of the sun His arrow was loosed and it flew threw the dark His true love was slain as the shaft found its mark She'd her apron wrapped about her and he took her for a swan And it so, and alas, it was she, Polly Vaughn He ran up beside her and found it was she He turned away his head for he could not bear to see He lifted her up and found she was dead A fountain of tears for his true love he shed She'd her apron wrapped about her and he took her for a swan And it so, and alas, it was she, Polly Vaughn He brought her away to his home by the sea Father, oh father I murdered poor Polly I killed my fair love in the flower of her life I'd always intended that she be my wife She'd her apron wrapped about her and he took her for a swan And it so, and alas, it was she, Polly Vaughn He round near the place where his true love was slain He wept bitter tears but his cries were all vain He looked on the lake, a swan glided by The sun slowly sank in the grey of the sky She'd her apron wrapped about her and he took her for a swan And it so, and alas, it was she, Polly Vaughn