The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #20303 Message #210694
Posted By: Malcolm Douglas
12-Apr-00 - 01:44 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Coal-Black Smith? / Two Magicians
Subject: Lyr Add: COAL-BLACK SMITH / TWO MAGICIANS^^
It may be found in a number of poetry anthologies, none of which I seem to have. I did find the following, however, on one of those neo-pagan sites; I believe that it's the version Steeleye Span recorded on Now We Are Six, and is pretty close to what I remember.
COAL-BLACK SMITH (The Two Magicians)
She looked out of the window, as white as any milk
He looked in at the window, as black as any silk
Chorus:
Hello, hello, hello, hello you coal-black smith
You have done me no harm!
You never shall have my maidenhead
That I have kept so long!
I'd rather die a maid, aye, and then she said,
And be buried all in my grave,
Than to have such a nasty, husky, dusky, fusty, musty, coal-black smith!
A maiden I will die!
She became a duck, a duck all in the stream
And he became a waterdog, and fetched her back again
She became a star, a star all in the night
And he became a thundercloud and muffled her out of sight
She became a rose, a rose all in the wood
And he became a bumblebee and kissed her where she stood
She became a nun, a nun all dressed in white
And he became a chantry priest to pray for her by night
She became a trout, a trout all in the brook
And he became a feathered fly, and catched her with his hook
She became a quilt, a quilt all on her bed
And he became a coverlet, and gained her maidenhead!^^
Malcolm