1
On the fourteenth of May at the dawn of the day,
With me gun on me shoulder, to the woods I did stray;
In search of some game, if the weather proved fair,
To see: “Could I get a shot at the Bonny Black Hare.”
2
I met a young girl there as sweet as a rose
And her skin was as fair as the lily that blows;
I said: “Me pretty fair maiden, why ramble you so?
And, can you tell me where the Bonny Black Hare do go?”
3
The answer she gave me, her answer was no,
“But under my apron they say some do go;
And if you’ll not deceive me, I’ll vow and declare
We’ll go off together to seek the Bonny Black Hare.”
4
I lay this girl down with her face to the skies,
I took out me ramrod and me bullets likewise;
I said: “Wrap your legs around me and dig in with your heels,
For the closer we get, love, the better it feels.””
5
The birds they were singing in the bushes and trees,
And the song that they sang was - Oh, she’s easy to please.
I felt her heart a-quiver - and I knew what I’d done
Says I: “Have you had enough of me old sporting gun?”
6
The answer she gave me, her answer was nay,
“It’s not often young sportsmen like you come this way.
If your powder is dry and your bullets play fair
Why don’t you keep a-firing at the Bonny Black Hare.”
7
“Me powder is wasted, me bullets all gone,
Me ram rod is a-kimber, and I cannot fire on;
But - I’ll be back in the morning - if the weather be fair,
And I’ll take another shot at the Bonny Black Hare!”