The Cauld Lad Of Hylton

His Lordship summoned the stable boy
"Have my horse prepared by dawn"
"Do not fail me"
No sight nor sound come the morn'
His steed stood lonely, unadorned
The wretched lad, Robert Skelton.

The Cauld Lad of Hylton
Here's the cloak and here's a hood
The Cauld Lad of Hylton
He will do no more good.

Dashing to the castle grounds
To the stable he is bound
"Sorry Sir I've overslept"
The Master turned around and glared
The useless child, his temper flared
He reaches for his riding crop
Swiftly striking the young boy's head
Baron Hylton struck him dead.

Woe is me! Woe is me!
The acorn is not yet
Fallen from the tree
That's to grow the wood
That's to make the cradle
That's to rock the bairn
That's to grow to a man
That's to lay me.

He gathered up the frail boy's corpse
And dragged him to an unused well
Cast into grimness
Passed oppressive walls he fell
In stagnant water, his ruined body dwells
His restless spectre departs the flesh.

Under the striking September sun
On a bleak autumnal morn', his bones are found
The Baron is tried for Skelton's murder
An alibi is found by an old farm worker
An unjust travesty, Hylton walks free!
Soon afterwards came strange events
He began to haunt the castle
Casting ash upon the floor
His likeness in the soot was drawn
Smashing plates and slamming doors
Chamber pots spilled on the floor
Sugared salt and peppered beer
Topsy turvy mischievous pranks
Ethereal lights within the chambers
Seeping under old oak doors
A naked boy, a ghostly sound
"I'm Cauld, I'm Cauld" he cried aloud.

With knowledge gathered from ancient lore
A silban vesture laid upon the floor
As midnight invoked the witching hour
He took up the cloak and was no longer dour
At the first crow of cock he vanished
The Cauld Lad of Hylton was now banished.