Have you heard of the blind harper,
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Now he lived in Hogmaven town,
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He went down to fair England,
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To steal King Henry's wanton Brown.
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First he went unto his wife,
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With all the haste as go could he,
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This work he said will never go well,
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Without the help of our good grey mare.
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Said she, you take the good grey mare,
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She'll run o'er hills both low and high,
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Go take the halter in your hose,
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And leave the foal at home with me.
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He's up and went to England gone,
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He went as fast as go could he,
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And when he got to Carlisle gates,
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Who should be there but King Henry.
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Come in, come in you blind harper,
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And of your music let me hear,
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But up and said the blind harper,
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I'd rather have a stable for my mare.
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The king looked over his left shoulder,
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And he said unto his stable groom,
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Go take the poor blind harper's mare,
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And put her beside my wanton brown.
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Then he's harped and then he sang,
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Til he played them all so sound asleep,
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And quietly he took off his shoes,
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And down the stairs he did creep.
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Straight to the stable door he's gone,
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With a tread so light as light could be,
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When he opened and went in,
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He found thirty steeds and three.
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He took the halter from his horse,
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And from his purse he did not fail,
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He slipped it over the wanton's nose,
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And tied it to the grey mare's tail.
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Then he let her loose at the castle gates,
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She didn't fail to find her way,
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She went back to her own colt foal,
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Three long hours before the day.
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Then in the morning, at fair daylight,
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When they had ended all their cheer,
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Behold the wantong brown had gone,
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So had the poor blind harper's mare.
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Oh, Alas, said the blind harper,
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Ever als that I came here,
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In Scotland I've got a little colt foal,
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In England they stole my good grey mare.
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Hold your tongue said King Henry,
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And all your mournings let them be,
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You shall get a far better mare,
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And well paid shall our colt foal be.
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Again he harped and again he sang,
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The sweetest music he let them hear,
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He was paid for a foal that he never lost,
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And three times worth the good grey mare.
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He was paid for a foal that he never lost,
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The Blind Harper
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Kate Rusby |