The Ladder

Long time ago, in Eastern Burrow,
when the oil lamps still lit up the streets
A maiden so fair,
with dark wavin' hair was looking for suitors to meet
She fancied big John,
the baker's first son, he's wink as she came in the store
When the money changed hands,
a touch and a glance, and a smile as she walked out the door

It was custom those days,
as the old folks would say, for a boy and a girl's secret love
She'd put a ladder below her bedroom
window, and tonight, he could sneak up above
She did as she planned,
and made John understand, that tonight was the night they could meet
But a fellow named Paul,
was a fly on the wall and he prepared for his own dirty deed

She put a ladder up to her room, hoping that he would come soon
But while she waited in vain,
Big John he got slain and that ladder would soon be her doom
She put a ladder up to her room

Night fell on the town,
and with no-one around, Big John went up to her place
With love on his mind,
he got stabbed from behind, and he never even saw Paul's face
Paul went up inside,
and with nowhere to hide, the maiden she saw no debate
She fell to the ground,
and made not a sound, while she suffered her horrible fate