1 “Oh mother dear such dreams I’ve had
Such nightmares filled my mind
Of my dear love chased by three wolves
And mauled in the woods nearby
Mother dear allay my fears
And tell me reasons true
From whence these fevered dreams have come
And why tonight they grew?”
2 “Tell me of these three dark wolves
Had they the like of any?”
“Why yes their eyes were just the same
As my brothers young and canny
Mother dear was this a dream?
Or was’t a vision true?
And where have my three brothers gone
What do they intend to do?”
3. “You know they never liked your love
Nor approved his love of you
Your love who was riding here tonight
To ask a bride of you”
“Mother dear how do you know
All the answers that I seek?”
“That same dream that has tortured you
Has plagued me for a week”
4. So she’s run from the lighted house
To the darkened woods beside
And she’s hid behind a tree so stout
As three wolves came prowling by
The first he carried a club of wood
The second a length of rope
The third he carried his own conscious
As heavy as the end of hope
5. When they’d gone, their shadows long
She’s run on then a crying
“Oh! Johnny dear, if you hear me,
Please give to me a sign!”
And the first she saw was his wooden stick
That he used to walk this world
The second she saw was his tall grey steed
That rode where he was told
The third she saw was so high up
So high up in a tree
Johnny’s body hanging there
By her cruel brothers three
6. And at the first her heart it broke
It never left his side
At the second her tears they fell
No other steed he would ride
And at the third she fell so far
So far unto her knees
“Oh my dear you have been killed
By my cruel brothers three”
7. And there she’s stayed eyes raised in prayer
For her own dear above
“Oh yes, oh yes I will marry you
You are my only love!”
And she has wept so bitterly
As a plea and a curse on men
And from her body strong Ivy grew
To hold her love again
And from her body strong Ivy grew
To hold her love again
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