The Fiddler's Ballad

A fiddler sat beneath a tree of fig
Alone he was in his gig
With his fiddle and his twig
To prance his little jig

Alone, alas, he did not wish to be
Below the solitary tree
A maiden’s face he wished to see
And gloomy was his silent plea

Dear Fiddler, fiddledum fiddledee
We heard the tale of thee

When your heart once giggled with glee
Underneath the fig tree

A lass did pass indeed
Of higher class, a noble breed
The fiddler’s gloom did recede
As he performed a song of his creed

Many a day did the fiddler play
Oh, he was so bright and gay
What would the beautiful dame say
She couldn’t send the poor man away

Dear Fiddler, fiddlelah fiddlelaw
What a lovely dame you saw

You do not dare withdraw
As love is your eternal law
The dame stood in front of him
She had admired every played hymn
That were weaved by infatuous whim
The fiddler’s joy was filled to the brim

“I’ve heard your lovely tune,”
The dame could only croon
She sat next to him under the moon
The fiddler could only swoon

Dear Fiddler, fiddledew fiddleyew
She’s professed her love to you

You can no longer be blue
As the day’s evening dew

One day it all went awry
One day the dame walked by
With a knight who sat high
Upon a horse that reached the sky

She was his bride by betrothal
The fiddler couldn’t have her at all
His broken heart fell into a pitfall
When he felt the shattering appall

Dear Fiddler, fiddlesum fiddleso
Your face is filled with woe

Isn’t that the lass you know
To which your heart will bestow

Tears clouded his monochrome sight
Until the cold starry midnight
When the noose held with its might
The remains of the poor man’s plight

By dawn the dame cried beneath the tree
And said, “What a poor sight to see”
“I’ve always admired your melodies for me”
“Sorry soul, my greatest love belonged to thee”

Dear Fiddler, fiddledum fiddledee
We heard the tale of thee

When your heart once giggled with glee
Underneath the fig tree