The Keeper

(a.k.a. "The Hunter")

Words & Music:

Traditional English

 

Bright blessing on Ronald Osaki for tracking down the chords to this in a long-ago songbook ("Sing Together:  A Girl Scout Songbook", 3^rd edition, 1973).  He also noted that The Kingston Trio sang this on their 1960 live album "Sold Out", under the title "The Hunter".  He gets a Song Hound gold star!

 

    D              G       D                         G       D

The keeper would a-hunting go & under his cloak he'd carry a bow

D                      D                 G        D         A7    D

All for the shoot of a merry little doe among the leaves so green-o.

 

CHORUS:

         D

GROUP 1: Jackie, boy?               GROUP 2: Master.

GROUP 1: Sing you well?             GROUP 2: Very well.

BOTH GROUPS:

D                      A7

Hey, down!  Ho, down!  Derry, derry, down

 D                  A7    D

Among the leaves so green-o!

 

The first does she did cross the brook.

The keeper brought her back with his hook.

Where she is now you may go and look among the leaves so green-o.

 

CHORUS:

 

The second doe she did cross the plain.

The keeper brought her back again.

Where she is now she may remain among the leaves so green-o.

 

CHORUS:

 

BRIDGE:

         D

GROUP 1: To me hey, down, down!        GROUP 2: To my ho, down, down!

         D

GROUP 1: Hey, down!                    GROUP 2: Ho, down!

BOTH GROUPS:

D             A7      D                  A7

Derry, derry, down!  Among the leaves so green-o.