Lady Margaret she sits in her bower sewing
Ma ba and the lilly ba
When she saw the knight with his horn a-blowing
On the very first morning of May

"Oh I wish that I had that horn I hear blowing"
And it's ma ba and the lilly ba
"And that young knight to sleep here on my breast"
On the very first morning of May

Well the lady she had these words scarce spoke
And it's ma ba and the lilly ba
When in at her window the knight come a-jumping
On the very first morning of May

"Oh strange it is, oh strange young woman"
And it's ma ba and the lilly ba
"I can scarce blow my horn since I hear you a-calling
On the very first morning of May"

"Go fetch you gold from your father's table
Deliver it unto me
And the two fastest horses in your father's stable
Where there stand thirty and three"

So he's mounted him on the black, black horse
And she's rode on the dappled grey
And they rode till they come to the broad sea shore
Just three hours before it was day

"Lie down, lie down from your horse," he says
"And deliver it unto me
For it's six pretty maids I have drownèd here
And the seventh one you shall be"

"Take off, take off your clothes," he says
"And deliver them unto me
For they are too fine and costly robes
For to rot in the salt, salt sea"

"Lie down, lie down from your horse," she says
"And turn your back on me
For it's not fitting that any gentle man
A naked lady should see"

So he's mounted him down off his horse so high
And he's turned his back on she
And she catched him around the middle so small
And tumbled him all down in the sea

Sometimes he sank, sometimes he swam
And it's ma ba and the lilly ba
"Oh help, oh help, oh my pretty mistress
Or drownèd I shall be"

"Lie there, lie there oh you false young man
Lie there instead of me
For it's six pretty maids you have drownèd here
And the seventh one has drownèd thee"

So she's mounted her on the black, black horse
And she's led the dappled grey
And she rode til she come to her father's house
An hour before it was day

And a parrot sitting up on her window side
And it's mah bah and the lilly bah
"Oh where have you been, oh my pretty mistress
So long before it is day?"

"Don't you prittle, don't you prattle, oh my pretty polly
Don't you tell the tales on me
And your cage shall be made of the best glitt'ring gold
Your perch of the best ivory"

But her father sitting up at his window-side
On a-hearing the parrot did say
"Oh, what is the matter, oh my pretty polly
That you cry so long before the day?"

"Oh there come a cat to my window side"
And it's ma ba and the lilly ba
"And I was a-calling my pretty mistress"
Just to frighten that pussy-cat away...