Oh Katie dear go ask your mother If you can be a bride of mine If she says yes come back and tell me If she says no we'll run away Oh Willie dear there's no use in asking She's in her room a takin' rest And by her side is a silver dagger To slay the one that I love best Oh Katie dear go ask your father If you can be a bride of mine If he says yes come back and tell me If he says no we'll run away Oh Willie dear, there's no need in asking He's in his room a takin' rest And by his side is a golden dagger To slay the one that I love best So he picked up that golden dagger And stove it through his troubled heart Saying goodbye Katie goodbye darlin' At last the time has come to part So she picked up that bloody dagger And stove it through her lily-white breast Saying goodbye papa goodbye mama I'll die with the one that I love best