THE FALSE KNIGHT UPON THE ROAD



A knight met a child on the road.



"Oh, where are you going?" said the knight upon the road.

"I'm going to my school," said the child as he stood.

He stood and he stood,

And it's well because he stood.

"I'm going to my school," said the child as he stood.



"What have you in your hand?" said the knight upon the road.

"I have my bread and cheese," said the child as he stood.

He stood and he stood,

And it's well because he stood.

"I have my bread and cheese," said the child as he stood.



"Well, won't you give me some?" said the knight upon the road.

"No, ne'er a bite nor crumb," said the child as he stood.

He stood and he stood,

And it's well because he stood.

"No, ne'er a bite nor crumb," said the child as he stood.



"I wish you were in the sand." said the knight upon the road.

"With a good staff in my hand," said the child as he stood.

He stood and he stood,

And it's well because he stood.

"With a good staff in my hand," said the child as he stood.



"I wish you were in the sea." said the knight upon the road.

"With a good boat under me," said the child as he stood.

He stood and he stood,

And it's well because he stood.

"With a good boat under me," said the child as he stood.



"I think I hear a bell." said the knight upon the road.

"And it's ringing you to hell," said the child as he stood.

He stood and he stood,

And it's well because he stood.

"And it's ringing you to hell," said the child as he stood.

Child #3

Tony and Irene Saletan, FSI-75



This version of the ballad comes quite indirectly from the

singing of Maud Long, whose mother, Jane Gentry, was one of the

singers from whom Cecil Sharp gathered songs in North Carolina in

1916. It is considerably modified from the version recorded for

the Library of Congress in 1947 by Maud Long (FSA-37). Two other

versions are available by Joe Hickerson (FSI-39) and Betty Smith

(FSA-53).

@myth @ballad

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