When I Was a Fair Maid
From Fog & Fire, 2008	Traditional.
When I was a fair maid the age of sweet 16 I enlisted in the army for to serve the King. I enlisted in the army, a soldier for to be and they learnt me to play upon the rub-a-dubba-dee. (Chorus) The rub-a-dubba-dee, the rub-a-dub-ba-dee, and they learnt me to play upon the rub-a-dubba-dee.
With my nice cap and my feathers if only you could see, you'd have sworn in your very heart a young man I had been. With my gentle waist so slender and my fingers long and small, I could rattle up the rub-a-dubba-dee the best of them all.
With my regiment at the front all the time I might have been with the brave duke of your at the siege of Valencienne. But favored by my officer for fear I might be slain, I was sent home to England for recruiting back again.
Many is the night in the guard room I have lain. I never was afraid to lie down with the men. And pulling off me breeches I often gave a smile. To think I slept with a regiment a maiden all the while!
Well it might never have know until this very hour but they sent me up to London to keep sentry on the tower. There a lady fell in love with me, and I told I was a maid, and she went unto my officer. My secret she betrayed!
My officer he came to me and asked if this was true. I told him that it was, what else could I do? I told him that it was and he smiled at me and said: "It's a pity for to lose you, such a drummer as you made!"
But for your valiant conduct at the Siege of Valencienne, a bounty you will get me girl a bounty from the King. And should the wars arise again and the King be wanting men, I'll put on me regimentals and i'll fight for him again!
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