 |
Summary: A
lady decided to pit two admirers against one another, by
throwing her fan into a lion's den to find out who will
return it. One of the guys quite sensibly refuses, the other
takes on the challenge and succeeds - and thus wins the
lady's heart.
Moral: If a somebody
asks you to prove your love by recovering a fan from a lion's
den, refuse. (but that isn't the moral surely - as he wins
her heart as a result?)
|
Down in Carlisle there lived a lady
Being most beautiful and gay;
She was determined to live a lady,
No man on earth could her betray.
Unless it were a man of honor,
A man of honor and high degree;
And then approached two loving soldiers,
This fair lady for to see.
One being a brave lieutenant,
A brave lieutenant and a man of war;
The other being a brave sea captain,
Captain of the ship that come from far.
Then up spoke this fair young lady,
Saying "I can't be but one man's bride;
But if you'll come back tomorrow morning,
On this case we will decide."
She ordered her a span of horses,
A span of horses at her command;
And down the road these three did travel
Till they come to the lions' den.
There she stopped and there she halted,
These two soldiers stood gazing around;
And for the space of half an hour,
This young lady lies speechless on the ground.
|
|
And when she did recover,
Threw her fan down in the lions' den;
Saying, "Which of you to gain a lady
Will return her fan again?"
Then up spoke the brave lieutenant,
Raised his voice both loud and clear,
Saying "You know I am a dear lover of women,
But I will not give my life for love."
Then up spoke this brave sea captain,
He raised his voice both loud and high,
Saying, "You know I am a dear lover of women,
I will return her fan or die."
Down in the lions' den, he boldly entered,
The lions being both wild and fierce;
He marched around and in among them,
Safely returned her fan again.
And when she saw her true lover coming,
Seeing no harm had been done to him,
She threw herself against his bosom,
Saying, "Here is the prize that you have won."
Additional Information:
This song featured in Dave's Angle
on episode 40 of the Garden Sessions FREE fortnightly internet
radio show (or Podcast).
|
