Quil o'quay is descended from "Sir Lionel" Child Ballad No. 18 (sometimes called "Horn the Hunter") which tells the story of a knight who slays a wild boar. This version comes from the singing of Nimrod Workman and Phyllis Boyens...

Quil O'Quay


Bottler went to the wild boar's den, quill o'quay
Bottler went to the wild boar's den
There laid the skulls of a thousand men
Quil o'quay quang quoddle down

The bottler made him a wooden knife, quill o'quay
Swore he'd put an end to the wild boar's life
Quil o'quay quang quaddle down

Here come the wild boar cutting and a slash, quil o'quay
Here come the wild boar cuttin in a slash
Gnawing down hickory, white oak and ash
Quil o'quay quang quaddle down

The bottler drew that wooden knife, quil o'quay
the bottler drew that wooden knife
He put an end to the wild boar's life
Quil o'quay quang quaddle down