The Hiring Fair

Lyrics

[Verse 1] I went down to the hiring fair For to sell my labour I noticed a maid in the very next row And hoped she'd be my neighbour Imagine then my delight When the farmer picked us both Though I spoke not a word on the cart to the farm My heart beat in my throat [Verse 2] My lodging was dry and my master fair I gave him full measure Like the corn in the field my envy grew For in his house was my treasure I'd watch her carry water Or drive cows from the byre And the heat from the sun made the corn grow strong And with it my desire [Verse 3] I'd see her in my dreaming And in my dreams caress Her eyes, her lips, her dark brown hair The curves beneath her dress When harvest time it came at last So heavy was our task That the women and the men worked side by side So I had her near at last [Verse 4] I swung harder with my scythe Few words between us passed And I cursed my tongue-tied youthfulness And hoped she'd hear my heart When all was safely gathered in And we sat down to rest My trembling fingers touched her arm She placed them on her breast [Verse 5] She turned to me as the sun went down And all my senses reeled As we lay there on the scented ground Till the moon rose over the field [Instrumental Break] [Verse 6] She was safely gathered in my arms When from the barn There drifted the sound of a violin And we hurried to the farm All were dancing in the lantern light And the music filled the air And I thanked the Lord and the harvest moon For the girl from the hiring fair