Do not go down,
Ye maidens all who wear the golden gown
Do not go to the clearing,
At the edge of Selden town.
For wicked are the men who wait
To bring young maidens down.
Verse 2
A maiden went to Seldentown,
A maid no more was she,
Her hair hung loose about her neck,
Her gown about her knee,
A babe was slung upon her back,
A bonny babe was he.
Verse 3
A man came up behind her
And he pushed that fair maid down.
"And will ye have you way wi' me,
Or will ye cut me dead,
Or do ye hope to take from me
My long-lost maidenhead?
Verse 4
Why have ye brought me far from town
Upon this grass green bed?"
He never spoke a single word,
Nor gave to her his name,
Nor whence and where his parentage,
Nor from which town he came,
Verse 5
He only thought to bring her low
An heap her high with shame.
But as he set about his plan,
And went about his work,
The babe upon the maiden's back
Had touched her hidden dirk,
And from its sheath had taken it
Verse 6
All in the clearing 'mirk.
And one and two, the tiny hands
Did fell the evil man,
Who all upon his mother had
Commenced the wicked plan.
Verse 7
God grant us all such bonny babes
And a good and long life span,
And a good and long life span.