The Two Magicians (feat. Dave Swarbrick)

A lady sits on her own front door as straight as the willow wand

And then by there come a lusty smith with a hammer in his hand

And he said, "Bide, lady, bide, oh, there's nowhere you can hide

For the lusty smith will be your love and he will lay a bride"

"Away, away, you cold blacksmith, would you do me this wrong?

For to think to have me maidenhead that I have kept so long

I'd rather I was dead and cold and me body laid in the grave

Than a husky, dusky, cold blacksmith me maidenhead should have"

So the lady she held up her hand and she swore upon her soul

That she'd not be the blacksmith's love for all of the bucks of gold

But the blacksmith he held up his hand and he swore upon the mass

Saying, "I'll have you in me bed, young

Girl, for to have her better or less"

Crying, "Bide, lady, bide, oh, there's nowhere you can hide

For the lusty smith will be your love and he will lay a bride"

So the lady she turned into a dove and she flew up in the air

But he became an old cock-pigeon and they flew pair and pair

Cooing, "Bide, lady, bide, oh, there's nowhere you can hide

For the lusty smith will be your love and he will lay a bride"

So the lady she turned into a hare and she ran across the plain

But he became a greyhound dog and he ran her down again

Barking, "Bide, lady, bide, oh, there's nowhere you can hide

For the lusty smith will be your love and he will lay a bride"

So the lady turned to a little mare as dark as the night was black

But he became a golden saddle and he clung onto her back

Crying, "Bide, lady, bide, oh, there's nowhere you can hide

For the lusty smith will be your love and he will lay a bride"

So the lady turned to a duck, a duck, a duck all in yon pond

But he became a pink-necked drake and he give that duck a turn

Quacking, "Bide, lady, bide, oh, there's nowhere you can hide

For the lusty smith will be your love and he will lay a bride"

So the lady she turned into a fly and she flew up in the air

But he became a hairy spider and dragged her into his lair

Crying, "Bide, lady, bide, oh, there's nowhere you can hide

For the lusty smith will be your love and he will lay a bride"

So the lady turned to a mulberry tree, a mulberry tree in the wood

But he came out as the morning dew

And he sprinkled her where she stood

Crying, "Bide, lady, bide, oh, there's nowhere you can hide

For the lusty smith will be your love and he will lay a bride"

So the lady turned to a full-dressed

Ship and she sailed across the sea

But he became a bold captain and aboard of her went he

Crying, "Bide, lady, bide, oh, there's nowhere you can hide

For the lusty smith will be your love and he will lay a bride"

So the lady, so the lady she ran into

The bedroom and she changed into a bed

But he became a green coverlet and he gained her maidenhead

And once she woke he held her so and still he bade her bide

And the lusty smith became her love for all her mighty pride