[Verse 1]
And he's followed her up and he's followed her down
And into the room where she lay
She hadn't the strength for to flee from his arms
Nor the tongue for to answer him nay

[Verse 2]
"Rise up, rise up, my pretty Polly
Rise up and go with me
I will take you to North Scotland
There you'll married to be"

[Verse 3]
"Go fetch you a bag of your father's gold
Some of your mother's fee
Two fine horses out of the stable
There stand thirty and three"

[Verse 4]
So she's lit upon her nimble-going brown
And he's mounted the dapple-grey
When they come to North Scotland
'Twas just three hours till day

[Verse 5]
"Light you down, light you down, my pretty Polly
Light you down, I say to thee
Six kings' daughters have I drowned here
And the seventh will surely be thee"
[Verse 6]
"And pull off, pull off your fine gay clothes
Hang them on yonder tree
For they are too fine and they cost too much
For to rot in the salt lake sea"

[Verse 7]
"Well, then you get a sickle and you cut down the nettles
That grow so close to the brim
For I fear they'll tangle my long yellow hair
And they'll tear my lily-white skin"

[Verse 8]
So he's got a sickle and he's cut down the nettles
That grow so close to the brim
And she's picked him up so skillfully
And she's pushed the false knight in

[Verse 9]
"Lie there, lie there, my false young man
Lie there in the room of me
For six kings' daughters have you drowned here
And the seventh's drowned thee"

[Verse 10]
So she's lit upon her nimble-going brown
And she's led the dapple-grey
When she's gotten to her father's door
'Twas just three hours till day
[Verse 11]
"Hush up, hush up, my pretty Polly bird
And don't you tell tales on me
Your cage will be made of the very beaten gold
And the door of the best ivory"

[Verse 12]
But then up spoke a fine young man
In the chamber where he lay
"What's the matter, what's the matter with my pretty Polly bird?
You're talking so long before day"

[Verse 13]
"Oh there's two black cats at my caging door
And my life they will betray
And I'm just calling for my pretty Polly
To drive those cats away"

[Verse 1]
And he's followed her up and he's followed her down
And into the room where she lay
She hadn't the strength for to flee from his arms
Nor the tongue for to answer him nay