The lady stands at her bower door as straight as a willow wand
The blacksmith stands, close nearby with a hammer in his hand
"O well are you dressed you lady fair all in your robes of red
Before the morn' at this same time I'll gain your maiden head"
"Away, away you coal black smith! O would you do me wrong
And think to gain my maiden head that I have kept so long
I'd rather I were dead and gone and buried in my grave
Before a lusty coal black smith my maiden head should have"
So then she turned into a hare, a hare upon the plain
But he became a greyhound bold and he fetched her back again
So then she turned into a rose, as fair as fair could be
But he became a billy goat and he tore her from the tree
"Away, away you coal black smith! O would you do me wrong
And think to gain my maiden head that I have kept so long
I'd rather I were dead and gone and buried in my grave
Before a lusty coal black smith my maiden head should have"
So then she turned into a carp, a carp all in the brook
But he became a fisherman to catch her with his hook
So then she turned into a dove and she flew up so high
But he became a huntsman's hawk and he chased her through the sky
"Away, away you coal black smith! O would you do me wrong
And think to gain my maiden head that I have kept so long
I'd rather I were dead and gone and buried in my grave
Before a lusty coal black smith my maiden head should have"
So she became a barley corn that grew in yonder field
And he became a speckled hen and began to eat his fill
But she became a cunning fox all in her coat of red
And before that hen could change
Again she took him by the neck and said
"Away, away you coal black smith! O you'll not do me wrong
You'll never gain my maiden head that I have kept so long
I'll not hide away from you a' wishing for my grave
Because a lusty coal black smith my maiden head would have"