Raggle Taggle Gypsy

Gypsy Davey come through the woods
A-singin' so loud and merry
The green hills all around him rang
And he won the hearts of a lady

"How old are you, my pretty fair miss?
How old are you, my lady?"
She answered him down by the riverside
"I'll be sixteen next Sunday"

"Come go with me, my pretty fair miss
Come go with me, my lady
I'll take you over the country wide
You never shall want for money"

So she kicked off her high-heeled shoes
All made with bows and feathers
She pulled on her low flat shoes
And they rode off together

Raggle taggle gypsy, gypsy
Raggle taggle gypsy Davey
Raggle taggle gypsy, gypsy
Raggle taggle gypsy Davey

It was late at night when the squire came home
Inquiring for his lady
The servants all around him said
"She's gone with Black Jack Davey"

"Go saddle for me my milk-white steed
The black one's not so speedy"
He rode all night to the broad daylight
And overtook his lady

Raggle taggle gypsy, gypsy
Raggle taggle gypsy Davey
Raggle taggle gypsy, gypsy
Raggle taggle gypsy Davey

"How can you leave your house and land
Your feather bed and baby?
How can you leave your husbandman
To go with Black Jack Davey?"

"Very well can I leave my feather bed
I'm sorry to leave my baby
Much better can I leave my husbandman
To go with Black Jack Davey"

Raggle taggle gypsy, gypsy
Raggle taggle gypsy Davey
Raggle taggle gypsy, gypsy
Raggle taggle gypsy Davey

"I won't come back, my darling dear
I won't come back, my honey
I wouldn't give a kiss from Davey's lips
For you nor all your money"

So she pulled off her milk-white glove
All made with Spanish leather
She's gave to him her lily-white hand
And bid farewell forever

Raggle taggle gypsy, gypsy
Raggle taggle gypsy Davey
Raggle taggle gypsy, gypsy
Raggle taggle gypsy Davey

She soon ran through her silken gown
Her velvet shoes and stockings
The gold ring from her finger's gone
And she was left with nothing

"Once I had a house and land
A feather bed and baby
But now I lie on the cold clay ground
With a gypsy dancing 'round me"

Raggle taggle gypsy, gypsy
Raggle taggle gypsy Davey
Raggle taggle gypsy, gypsy
Raggle taggle gypsy Davey