The Outlandish Knight - Bellowhead

Lady Margaret she sits in her bower sewing

Ma ba and the lilly ba

When she saw the knight with his horn a-blowing

On the very first morning of May

«Oh I wish that I had that horn I hear blowing»

And it’s ma ba and the lilly ba

«And that young knight to sleep here on my breast»

On the very first morning of May

Well the lady she had these words scarce spoke

And it’s ma ba and the lilly ba

When in at her window the knight come a-jumping

On the very first morning of May

«Oh strange it is, oh strange young woman»

And it’s ma ba and the lilly ba

«I can scarce blow my horn since I hear you a-calling

On the very first morning of May»

«Go fetch you gold from your father’s table

Deliver it unto me

And the two fastest horses in your father’s stable

Where there stand thirty and three»

So he’s mounted him on the black, black horse

And she’s rode on the dappled grey

And they rode till they come to the broad sea shore

Just three hours before it was day

«Lie down, lie down from your horse,» he says

«And deliver it unto me

For it’s six pretty maids I have drownèd here

And the seventh one you shall be»

«Take off, take off your clothes,» he says

«And deliver them unto me

For they are too fine and costly robes

For to rot in the salt, salt sea»

«Lie down, lie down from your horse,» she says

«And turn your back on me

For it’s not fitting that any gentle man

A naked lady should see»

So he’s mounted him down off his horse so high

And he’s turned his back on she

And she catched him around the middle so small

And tumbled him all down in the sea

Sometimes he sank, sometimes he swam

And it’s ma ba and the lilly ba

«Oh help, oh help, oh my pretty mistress

Or drownèd I shall be»

«Lie there, lie there oh you false young man

Lie there instead of me

For it’s six pretty maids you have drownèd here

And the seventh one has drownèd thee»

So she’s mounted her on the black, black horse

And she’s led the dappled grey

And she rode til she come to her father’s house

An hour before it was day

And a parrot sitting up on her window side

And it’s mah bah and the lilly bah

«Oh where have you been, oh my pretty mistress

So long before it is day?»

«Don't you prittle, don’t you prattle, oh my pretty polly

Don’t you tell the tales on me

And your cage shall be made of the best glitt’ring gold

Your perch of the best ivory»

But her father sitting up at his window-side

On a-hearing the parrot did say

«Oh, what is the matter, oh my pretty polly

That you cry so long before the day?»

«Oh there come a cat to my window side»

And it’s ma ba and the lilly ba

«And I was a-calling my pretty mistress»

Just to frighten that p****-cat away…