5. May Colven
Words & Music Traditional/Emily Smith MCPS/PRS

False Sir John’s a wooing gone
To a maid o’ beauty fair
May Colven was this lady’s name
Her faither’s only heir

He woo’d her butt, he woo’d her ben
He woo’d her in the ha’
Until he got this lady’s consent
To mount and ride awa

They went doon to her faither’s bower
Where all the steeds did stand
And he’s ta’en yin o’ the best steeds there
Right frae her faither’s hands

He’s got on and she’s got on
As fast as they could flflee
Until they’ve come tae a lonesome part
A rock by the side o’ the sea

Higher rose the tide and faster he did ride

Loup offff the steed says false Sir John
Your bridal bed you see
For it’s seeven ladies I hae drooned
And the eighth yin ye shall be

Cast offff, cast offff May Colven
A’ and your silken gown
For it’s o’er guid and o’er costly
To rot in the salt sea foam

Weel turn ye aboot then false Sir John
Look to the leaf o’ the tree
For it ne’er becam a gentleman
A naked woman to see

So he turned himself straight roon’ aboot
To look to the leaf o’ the tree
So swift as May Colven was
She pushed him in the sea

O help, o help May Colven
O help or else I’ll droon
An’ I’ll tak ye back tae yer faither’s boo’er
And set you safe and soond

Nae help, nae help o’ false Sir John
Nae help nor pity for thee
For it’s seeven king’s daughters ye hae drooned
And the eighth yin’ll no be me

So she louped onto her faither’s steed
As swift as she could flflee
And she got hame tae her faither’s bower
Afore the break o’ day

Higher rose the tide and faster she did ride
Higher rose the tide and faster she did ride

Up then spak her pretty parrot
May Colven whaur hae ye been?
And what’s become o’ false Sir John
That woo’ed ye late yestreen?

O hold yer tongue my pretty bird
Lay not the blame on me
And yer cup shall be o’ the guid red gowd
And yer cage o‘ the root o’ tree

Up then spak the king himself
Frae the chamber whaur he lay
What ails thee May Colven’s bird
That prattles sae lang the day?

Well there cam a cat tae my cage door
It nearly worried me
And I was calling on May Colven
Tae tak the cat frae me