Outlandish Knight Songtext
von Martin Carthy

Lady Margaret she sits in her bower sewing
Baba and a lily-va
When she saw the knight with his horn a-blowing
On the very first morning of May

"Oh would your lord would give to me rest
And it′s baba and a lily-va
And that young knight lay here on my breast
On the very first morning of May."

Now the lady she had these words scarce spoken
And baba and a lily-va
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 baba and a lily-va
I can scarce blow my horn but I hear you a-calling
On the very first morning of May."


"Go get you gold from your father's table
Deliver it all unto me
And the two fastest horses in your father′s stable
Where there stand thirty and three."

Now she's mounted her up on the black, black horse
And he's rode on the dapple grey
And they rode till they come to the broad seaside
Just three hours before it was day

"Light down, light down off your horse, " he cries
"And deliver him up unto me
For it′s six pretty maids I have drowned here
And the seventh one you shall be."

"Take off, take off all your clothes," he cries
"And deliver them all unto me
For they are too fine and costly robes
For to rot in the salt salt sea."

"Light down, light down off your horse," she cries
"And turn your back unto me
For it′s not fitting that any gentleman
A naked lady should see."


So he's lighted him down off his horse so high
And he′s turned his back unto she
And she's catched him around his middle so small
And she′s tumbled him all down in the sea

Sometimes he sank, sometimes he swam
And it's baba and a lily-va
"Oh help, oh help, o you pretty fair maid
Or drownded I shall be."

"Lie there, lie there, o you false young man
Lie there instead of me
For it′s six pretty maids you have drownded here
And the seventh one have drownded thee."

So she's mounted her up on the black, black horse
And she's led the dapple grey
And she′s rode till she come to her father′s yard
Just an hour before it was day

And a parrot sitting up at his window so high
And baba and a lily-va
"Oh where have you been my pretty mistress
So long before it is day."

"Don't you prittle, don′t you prattle, o my pretty Polly
Don't tell no tales on me
And your cage shall be made of the finest glittering gold
And your perch of the best ivory."

And her father sitting up at his window so high
And on hearing the parrot, he did say
"Oh what is the matter, my pretty Polly
That you cry so long before the day?"

"Oh there come a cat to my window so high
And it′s baba and a lily-va
And I was a-calling my pretty mistress
Just to frighten that pussycat away."