TWO BUTCHERS





Its of two noble butchers as I have heard men say

They started out from London all on the market day

And as they were riding along, as fast as they could ride

"Oh, stop your horse" says Johnson, "for I hear some woman cry."



"I will not stop," says Willson, "I will not stop." says he

"I will not stop," says Willson, "for robbed we shall be"

So Johnson he got off his horse and he searched the woods all round

And there he found this woman with her hair pinned to the ground



"How came you here dear woman? How came you here fast bound?"

"How came you here stark naked with your hair pinned to the ground?"

"They robbed me, they stripped me, they left me here fast bound."

"They left me here this morning, with my hair pinned to the ground."



So Johnson he being a valiant man, and a man of valiant mind

He wrapped his coat around her, and he took her up behind

And as they were riding along, as fast as they could ride

She put her fingers to her mouth, and she gave three shivering cries



Out jumped three bold and struggling men with swords keen in hand

Who then commanded Johnson, commanded him to stand

"I'll stop, I'll stand said Johnson, I'll stop, I'll stand said he

"For never was I in all my life afraid of any three



Oh, two of them he quickly slew, and the third he did not mind

Till the false young woman took her knife and she stabbed him from behind

Poor Johnson he spun round about and fell down to the ground

And cursed that wretched woman, who gave him his dead wound



The day it being the market day, there were people passing by

Who saw the awful murder, who saw poor Johnson die.



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Collected by Cecil Sharp

Recorded by Martin Carthy on his "Second "Album", Topic 12TS341



Fairly common on both sides of the Atlantic, the story stays

essentially the same, only varying in the number of butchers or

the number of robbers who range themselves against Johnson. A

treacherous woman has always seemed more despicable than a

treacherous man.

@outlaw @murder @England

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