Waken, lords and ladies gay

Waken, lords and ladies gay,

On the mountain dawns the day;

All the jolly chase is here.

With hawk and horses and hunting-spear!

[Hounds are in their couples yelling,

Hawks are whistling, horns are knelling,

Merrily, merrily mingle they,

"Waken, lords and ladies gay."]

Waken, lords and ladies gay,

The mist has left the mountain gray,

[Springlets in the dawn are steaming,

Diamonds on the brake are gleaming,

And foresters have busy been

To track the buck in thicker green;

Now we come to chant our lay,

"Waken, lords and ladies gay."]

Waken lords and ladies gay,

To the greenwood haste away;

We can show you where he lies,

Fleet of foot and tall of size;

We can show the marks he made

When 'gainst the oak his antlers frayed;

You shall see him brought to bay;

Waken, lords and ladies gay.

Louder, louder chant the lay,

Waken, lords and ladies gay!

Tell them youth and mirth and glee

[Run a course as well as we;

Time, stern huntsman! who can balk,

Stanch as hound and fleet as hawk?

Think of this, and rise with day,

Gentle lords and ladies gay!]