There was Jack Rowland and his two brothers
Went out to play at ball
And there was their sister Ellen Rowland
In the midst among them all
She tossed the ball so very high
She caught it with her knee
She kicked it high over high churchyard
Where no-one it could see
And she's hitched her skirts up around her waist
And after the ball she's run
They waited long her three brothers
But she never come home again
So up the hill and down the hill
Three weeping brothers roamed
They told their mother of Ellen Rowland
How she has vanished and gone
And it's Oh my love and cries their mother
And ever alas cries she
For she has gone with the King of the Hill
No more by us she'll be seen
So up and rose the first brother
And he was a proud young man
He swore an oath and a solemn oath
That Ellen he'd seek and find
And he's run down to his father's stable
He's saddled the bonny grey
And as the sun looked over the hill
We watched him ride away
And up and rose the second brother
A proud young man was he
And he swore an oath and a solemn oath
That Ellen he'd find and free
And he's run down to his father's stable
He's saddled the bonny brown
And as the sun stood up in the sky
We watched him ride from home
We stayed long and very long
With our gloves all in our hand
And sad were hearts all over the town
For he never come home again
Up and rose then Jack the fool
He's the youngest of all the three
He's saddled and bridled his mother's horse
But he wept so bitterly
She spoke to him his mother's horse
As they rode out of the way
She says Never you fear you Jack Rowland
But you listen what I do say
And remember the song the spider sings
When she comes to court the fly
For never a drop must you eat nor drink
As we go along our road
And all that help us on the way
You must leave them lying dead
So Jack Rowland has left his good long bow
And his arrows one by one
And he's taken his father's good long gun
That never was drawn in vain
And never a drop did they eat or drink
As on the way they rode
And all that helped them on the way
Jack Rowland has left them dead
The horse that Jack Rowland sat on
She was black as the dark midnight
And her eyes shone far as the evening star
That put the sun to flight
As Jack Rowland to the dark tower came
And he stood there without
Three times all around the place
The horse spun round about
And she cried Open door and open door
Open and let me ride
And e'er the third time she has spoke
See the door swing open wide
And he has spied some lovely tower
That was lined with the silver grey
All hung with mists and a heavy dew
That shone clear as any day
No ceiling could this young man spy
No windows were there to be seen
But all round his head it shone blood red
As the sun that sets at e'en
And he rode on and further on
As the tears came falling fast
For he thought he saw his sister Ellen
Wandering like any ghost
And she cried Woe be to you Jack Rowland
For your life's not worth a pin
For had you a hundred thousand lives
You should not spare one of them
Oh pity on you Jack Rowland
Why stayed you not at home
When the King of the Hill you find
Then help you will find none
With that in come the King himself
All glorious to be seen
For he come riding the storm and the wind
With a club all in each hand And he cried
Rise rise Jack Rowland
Rise rise and run
Now I smell Jack Rowland's blood
Jack Rowland's day is done
Get up get up you Jack Rowland
If you would fight with me
And we will see how a frightened man
Will let his courage flee
And first he appeared as a raging bear
And then as a writhing snake
And then as a herd of angry bulls
That roared all in his face
Then he became a burning bush
With a flame that leapt so high
But he sang the song the spider sings
When he comes to court the fly
But up and rose Jack Rowland's horse
So loud I heard her cry
Stand fast and fear you not she cries
No harm will come to thee
There she stood on the high hill top
And the stars blazed in her mane
And she has turned to a mighty flood
And she bore down on the flame
The King has changed to a little fish
To float all in the sea
And he fell as fast into the flood
As the dead branch from a tree
But she has changed to ropes and lines
And she hunted the ocean floor
But he has become a fishing smack
And he hauled all lines aboard
So she has changed all in the sky
To a gale that howled and roared
She filled his sails she beat his sides
And she drove him onto shore
So he's become the deep dark night
And he dropped to the valley floor
But she rose up as the summer dawn
And she drove him on before
And she cried Rise rise Jack Rowland
And the sun will rise with thee
And as the dew falls from the leaves
We shall see what you shall see
And as the dew fell from the leaves
And the daylight drew all round
He saw his sister and his two brothers
Mother naked on the ground
And he's taken them each all in his arms
And he's kissed them cheek and chin
He's wrapped them up in a cloak of gold
And they've gone riding home
Up and spoke the King himself
As he vanished in the sun
Oh I should have taken your horse he cries
And struck her blind and lame