King Henry - Black Nag by Heather Alexander
King Henry - Black Nag lyrics
Let never a man a-wooing wend that lacketh thing's o'
three:
A store of gold, an open heart, and full of charity
And this was said of King Henry, as he lay quite alone
For he's taken him to a haunted hall, seven miles from
the town
O, he has driven him deer before, the doe down by the
glen
'til the fattest buck in all the flock, King Henry he
has slain
His huntsmen followed him to the hall, to make them
burly cheer
When loud the wind was heard to howl, and an earthquake
rocked the floor
As darkness covered all the hall where they sat at
their meat
The greyhounds, yowling, left their food and crept to
Henry's feet
And louder howled the rising wind that burst the
fastened door
And in there came a grisly ghost, stamping across the
floor!
Her head hit the rooftop of the house, her middle you
could not span
Each frightened huntsman fled the hall, and left the
king alone
Her teeth were like the tether-stakes, her nose like
club or mell
And nothing less she seemed to be than a fiend that
comes from hell!
Some meat, some meat, you King Henry, some meat you
bring to me
Go kill your horse, you King Henry, and bring some meat
to me!
He has slain his berry-brown steed, it made his heart
full sore
For she's eaten it up, both skin and bone, left nothing
but hide and hair!
More meat, more meat, you King Henry, more meat you
bring to me
Go kill your greyhounds, King Henry, and bring some
meat to me!
He has slain his good greyhounds, it made his heart
full sore
For she's eaten them up, both skin and bone, left
nothing but hide and hair!
More meat, more meat, you King Henry, more meat you
bring to me
Go kill your goshawks, King Henry, and bring some meat
to me!
He has slain his good goshawks, it made his heart full
sore
For she's eaten them up, both skin and bone, left
nothing but feathers bare!
A drink, a drink, you King Henry, a drink you bring to
me
Sew up your horse hide, King Henry, and bring some
drink to me!
He has sewn the bloody hide, a pipe of wine put in
And she's drank it down all in one drop, left never a
drop therein!
A bed, a bed, you King Henry, a bed you'll make for me!
Oh you must pull the heather green, and make it soft
for me!
He has pulled the heather green, and made for her a bed
And taken has he his good mantle, and over it he has
spread.
Take off your clothes, now King Henry, and lay down by
my side!
O, swear, O, swear, you King Henry, to take me as your
bride!
God forbid, said King Henry, that ever the like betide;
That ever a fiend that comes from hell should stretch
down by my side!
The dark has gone, the day is come, the sunlight fills
the hall
The fairest Lady that ever was seen lay twixt him and
the wall!
I've laid for many a gentle knight that gave me such a
thrill.
But never before with a perfect knight, that gave me
all my will!
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