Said the lord to the lady as he mounted his horse, “Beware of long Lankin that lives in the moss.” Said the lord to the lady as he rode away, “Beware of long Lankin that lives in the hay. “Let the doors be all bolted and the windows all pinned, And leave not a hole for a mouse to creep in.” So he kissed his fair lady and he rode away, And he was in fair London town before the break of day. The doors was all bolted and the windows all pinned Except one little window where Lankin crept in. “Where’s the lord of this house?” said long Lankin. “He’s away in fair London," said the false nurse to him. “Where’s the little heir of this house?” said long Lankin. “He’s asleep in his cradle,” said the false nurse to him. “We’ll prick him, we’ll prick him all over with a pin, And that’ll make my lady to come down to him.” So he pricked him, he pricked him all over with a pin, And the nurse held the basin for the blood to flow in. “O nurse, how you slumber, O nurse, how you sleep, You leave my little son Johnson to cry and to weep.” “I’ve tried him with apples, I’ve tried him with a pear. Come down, my fair lady, and rock him in your chair. “I’ve tried him with milk, and I’ve tried him with pap, Come down, my fair lady, and rock him in your lap.” “How can I come down so late in the night, Where’s no fire a-burning, nor candle to give light?” “You have three silver mantles as bright as the sun, Come down, my fair lady, all by the light of one.” My lady came down the stairs, a-thinking no harm. Long Lankin stood ready to catch her in his arm. There’s blood in the kitchen, there’s blood in the hall, There’s blood in the parlour where my lady did fall. Her maiden looked out from the turret so high, And she saw her master from London riding by. “O master, O master, don’t lay the blame on me, Twas the false nurse and Lamkin that killed your fair lady.” Long Lankin was hanged on a gibbet so high, And the false nurse was burnt in a fire close by.
