I sat on a bank in trifle and play,
With my jolly goss-hawk, and her wings were grey;
She flew to my breast, And there built her nest,
I am sure pretty bird you with me will stay.

She builded within, and she builded without,
My jolly goss -hawk and her wings were grey:
She fluttered her wings, And she jingled her rings,
So merry was she, and so fond of play.

I got me a bell, to tie to her foot,
My jolly goss-hawk, and her wings were grey;
She mounted in flight, And she flew out of sight,
My bell and my rings she carried away.

I ran up the street, with nimblest feet,
My jolly goss-hawk, and her wings were grey;
I whooped and hallo'd, But never she shewed,
And I lost my pretty goss-hawk that day.

In a meadow so green, the hedges between,
My jolly goss-hawk, and her wings were grey;
Upon a man's hand, She perch'd did stand,
In sport, and trifle, and full array.


Who's got her may keep her as best he can,
My jolly goss-hawk, and her wings were grey;
To every man she is frolic and free,
I'll cast her off if she come my way.


abc | midi | pdf

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Source: Songs Of The West by S. Baring-Gould.

Notes:
Baring Gould notes:

Melody taken down from H. Westaway to "The Nawden Song," which begins-
"I went to my lady the first of May,
A jolly goss-hawk and her wings were grey,
Come let us see who'll win my fair ladye-you or me.

To the 2nd of May is "a two twitty bird," "a dushy cock," a "four -legged pig," "five steers," "six boars," "seven calves calving," "eight bulls roaring," "nine cocks crowing," "ten carpenters yawning," "eleven shepherds sawing," "twelve old women scolding," Mr C Sharp has taken it down in Somersetshire.
A Scottish version in Chamber's "Popular Rhymes of Scotland" 1842; as "The Yule Days," A Northumberland version; " The XII Days of Christmas," with air not like ours, in "Northumbrian Minstrelsy," Newcastle, 1882 p. 129.
A Breton version, "Gousper ou ar Ranad," in "Chansons Populaires de la basse Bretagne,"by Luzel, 1890 p94.
The West of England song has got mixed up with the "Goss-Hawk," another song. See "The Fond Mother's Garland," B. M. A companion song to this is "The Bonny Bird,". The song in Devonshire, goes by the name of "The Nawden Song."

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