| Play/Download Music File Lesley Nelson |
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| This ballad was collected by William Motherwell and appeared in his Minstrelsy: Ancient and Modern (1827). There is a Swedish variant and a variant named Harpkin which appeared in Chambers' Popular Rhymes of Scotland (1870). Cecil Sharp collected two variants from the Appalachians.
This version was collected by John Jacob Niles in 1935 in Dot, Virginia. (Note: Niles is known to have retouched or written several of the ballads in his book. He is therefore not considered a reliable source. I have included them here out of interest.) This ballad is an American variant of Child Ballad #3 (The Fause Knight Upon the Road). For a complete list of Child Ballads at this site see Francis J. Child Ballads. |
Oh, where be ye going? Said the knight on the road, I be going to school, Said the boy as he stood. And he stood and he stood And 'twas well that he stood, I be going to school, Said the boy as he stood. Oh what do ye there? Said the knight on the road, I read from my book Said the boy as he stood. And he stood and he stood And 'twas well that he stood, I read from my book, Said the boy as he stood. Oh what have ye got? Said the knight on the road, 'Tis a bait of bread and cheese. Said the boy as he stood. And he stood and he stood And 'twas well that he stood, Said the boy as he stood. Oh pray give me some Said the knight on the road, Oh no, not a crumb. Said the boy as he stood. And he stood and he stood And 'twas well that he stood, Oh no, not a crumb, Said the boy as he stood. I hear your school bell, Said the knight on the road, Hit's a-ringing you to hell. Said the boy as he stood. And he stood and he stood And 'twas well that he stood, Hit's a-ringing you to hell. Said the boy as he stood. |
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| From
The Ballad Book of John Jacob Niles and The English and Scottish Popular Ballads See Bibliography for full information. |
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