Mother mother make my bed
Make for me a winding sheet
Wrap me up in a cloak of gold
To see if I can sleep

Four and twenty bonny bonny boys, playing at the ball
Along came little Sir Hugh, he played with them all
He kicked the ball very high, he kicked the ball so low,
He kicked it over the castle wall, where no one dared to go

Out came a lady gay, she was dressed in green
"Come in, come in little Sir Hugh, fetch your ball again"
"I won't come in, I can't come in without my play mates all
For if I should I know you would cause my blood to fall"

Mother mother make my bed
Make for me a winding sheet
Wrap me up in a cloak of gold
To see if I can sleep

She took him by the milk white hand, led him to the hall
Till they came to a stone chamber where no one could hear him call
She sat him on a golden chair, she gave him sugar sweet
She lay him on a dressing board and stabbed him like a sheep

Out came the thick thick blood, out came the thin
Out came the bonny heart's blood till there was none within
She took him by the yellow hair and also by the feet
She threw him in the old draw well fifty fathoms deep

Mother mother make my bed
Make for me a winding sheet
Wrap me up in a cloak of gold
To see if I can sleep