{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/child/ch276.htm","path":"neu/eng/child/ch276.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/ch276.htm","text":"276A.1 As I lay musing all alone,\nfa, la, la, la, la\nA pretty jeast I thought upon;\nfa, la, la, la, la\nThen listen a while, and I will you tell\nOf a fryer that loved a bonny lass well.\nfa, la, la, la, la\nfa, la, la, lang-tre-down-dilly\n276A.2 He came to the maid when she went to bed,\nDesiring to have her maidenhead,\nBut she deny d his desire,\nAnd told him that she feard hell-fire.\n276A.3 \u2018Tush,\u2019 quoth the fryer, \u2019Thou needst not doubt\nIf thou wert in hell I could sing thee out:\u2019\n\u2018Then,\u2019 quoth the maid, \u2019Thou shalt have thy request;\u2019\nThe fryer was glad as a fox in his nest.\n276A.4 \u2018But one thing,\u2019 quoth she, \u2018I do desire,\nBefore you have what you require;\nBefore that you shall do the thing,\nAn angel of mony thou shalt me bring.\u2019\n276A.5 \u2018Tush,\u2019 quoth the fryer, \u2019we shall agree,\nNo mony shall part my love and me;\nBefore that I will see thee lack,\nI\u2019le pawn the grey gown from my back.\u2019\n276A.6 The maid bethought her of a wile\nHow she the fryer might bequile;\nWhile he was gone, the truth to tell,\nShe hung a cloth before the well.\n276A.7 The fryer came, as his covenant was,\nWith money to his bonny lass;\n\u2018Good morrow, fair maid!\u2019 \u2018Good morrow!\u2019 quoth she.\n\u2018Here is the mony I promised thee.\u2019\n276A.8 thankt the man, and she took his mony:\n\u2018Now let us go to \u2019t,\u2019 quoth he, \u2019Sweet hony:\u2019\n\u2018O stay,\u2019 quoth she, \u2019Some respite make,\nMy father comes, he will me take.\u2019\n276A.9 \u2018Alas!\u2019 quoth the fryer, \u2019where shall I run,\nTo hide me till that he be gone?\u2019\n\u2018Behinde the cloath run thou,\u2019 quoth she,\n\u2018And there my father cannot thee see.\u2019\n276A.10 Behind the cloath the fryer crept,\nAnd into the well on the sudden he leapt;\n\u2018Alas,\u2019 quoth he, \u2019i am in the well!\u2019\n\u2018No matter,\u2019 quoth she, \u2019if thou wert in hell.\n276A.11 \u2018Thou sayst thou couldst sing me out of hell,\nNow prithee sing thy self out of the well:\u2019\nThe fryer sung with a pittiful sound,\nOh help me out, or I shall be dround!\n276A.12 \u2018I trow,\u2019 quoth she, \u2019your courage is coold.\u2019\nQuoth the fryer, I was never so foold,\nI never was serv d so before.\n\u2018Then take heed,\u2019 quoth she, \u2019Thou comst there no more.\u2019\n276A.13 Quoth he, For sweet Saint Francis sake\nOn his disciple some pitty take:\nQuoth she, Saint Francis never taught\nHis scholars to tempt young maids to naught.\n276A.14 The fryer did entreat her still\nThat she should help him out of the well;\nShe heard him make such pittious moan\nShe helpd him out, and bid him be gone.\n276A.15 Quoth he, Shall I have my mony again,\nWhich thou from me hast beforehand tane?\n\u2018Good sir,\u2019 said she, \u2019There\u2019s no such matter;\nI\u2019le make you pay for fouling my water.\u2019\n276A.16 The fryer went all along the street,\nDroping wet, like a new-washd sheep;\nBoth old and young commended the maid\nThat such a witty prank had plaid.\n276B: The Friar in the Well\n276B.1 O HEARKEN and hear, and I will you tell\nSing, Faldidae, faldidadi\nOf a friar that loved a fair maiden well.\nSing, Faldi dadi di di (bis)\n276B.2 The friar he came to this maiden\u2019s bedside,\nAnd asking for her maidenhead.\n276B.3 \u2018O I would grant you your desire,\nIf \u2019twerena for fear o hell\u2019s burning fire.\u2019\n276B.4 \u2018O hell\u2019s burning fire ye need have no doubt;\nAltho you were in, I could whistle you out.\u2019\n276B.5 \u2018O if I grant to you this thing,\nSome money you unto me must bring.\u2019\n276B.6 He brought her the money, and did it down tell;\nShe had a white cloth spread over the well.\n276B.7 Then the fair maid cried out that her master was come;\n\u2018O,\u2019 said the friar, \u2019Then where shall I run?\u2019\n276B.8 \u2018O ye will go in behind yon screen,\nAnd then by my master ye winna be seen.\u2019\n276B.9 n in behind the screen she him sent.\nBut he fell into the well by accident.\n276B.10 Then the friar cried out with a piteous moan,\nO help! O help me! or else I am gone.\n276B.11 \u2018Ye said ye wad whistle me out o hell;\nNow whistle your ain sel out o the well.\u2019\n276B.12 She helped him out and bade him be gone;\nThe friar he asked his money again.\n276B.13 \u2018As for your money, there is no much matter\nTo make you pay more for jumbling our water.\u2019\n276B.14 Then all who hear it commend this fair maid\nFor the nimble trick to the friar she played.\n276B.15 friar he walked on the street,\nAnd shaking his lugs like a well-washen sheep.","title":"The Child Ballads: 276. The Friar in the Well","type":"page"}