Lyr Req: The Three Knights (from Alan Stivell)

Subject: Alan Stivell: The Three Knights
From: Zhenya
Date: 06 Jun 01 - 04:39 PM

Does anyone have the lyrics for this song? There's an English translation in the CD notes, but apparently the lyrics are in Cornish. It has a beautiful melody and I would like to try and learn it. (or some approximation, anyway.) It's a version of a ballad also known as "The Cruel Brother."

Subject: Lyr Add: THE THREE KNIGHTS
From: Trapper
Date: 06 Jun 01 - 05:59 PM

A quick search on google.com reveals...

The Three Knights

- Al

PS - they have 10 other versions of it there too.

THE THREE KNIGHTS

Note: Gilbert’s Ancient Christmas Carols, 2d ed., p. 68,
as remembered by the editor. West of England.

1 There did three knights come from the west,
With the high and the lily oh wan.
And these three knights courted one lady.
As the rose was so sweetly blown

2 The first knight came was all in white,
And asked of her, if she’d be his delight.

3 The next knight came was all in green,
And asked of her, if she’d be his queen.

4 The third knight came was all in red,
And asked of her, if she would wed.

5 “Then have you asked of my father dear,
Likewise of her who did me bear?

6 “And have you asked of my brother John?
And also of my sister Anne?”

7 “Yes, I have asked of your father dear,
Likewise of her who did you bear.

8 “And I have asked of your sister Anne,
But I’ve not asked of your brother John.”

9 Far on the road as they rode along,
There did they meet with her brother John.

10 She stooped low to kiss him sweet,
He to her heart did a dagger meet.

11 “Ride on, ride on,” cried the serving man,
“Methinks your bride she looks wondrous wan.”

12 “I wish I were on yonder stile,
For there I would sit and bleed awhile.

13 “I wish I were on yonder hill,
There I’d alight and make my will.”

14 “What would you give to your father dear?”
“The gallant steed which doth me bear.”

15 “What would you give to your mother dear?”
“My wedding shift which I do wear.

16 “But she must wash it very clean,
For my heart’s blood sticks in ev’ry seam.”

17 “What would you give to your sister Anne?”
“My gay gold ring and my feathered fan.”

18 “What would you give to your brother John?”
“A rope and gallows to hang him on.”

19 “What would you give to your brother John’s wife?”
“A widow’s weeds, and a quiet life.”

HTML line breaks added, and preformat commands removed. Preformat commands are not a substitute for line breaks! --JoeClone, 16-Apr-02.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Alan Stivell: The Three Knights
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 06 Jun 01 - 08:09 PM

That's Lesley Nelson's site, incidentally:  Francis J. Child Ballads.  Here is a link to the main file:  Brother's Revenge

The Cruel Brother was Child's Number #11 in his definitive English and Scottish Popular Ballads of 1884-98.   Strictly speaking, the Cornish lyric is the translation, and was probably made relatively recently from the English text; most extant Cornish language song texts are 20th century translations from older English language songs.  That's not to say that there may not have been genuine traditional Cornish language versions at some point, just that, if they existed, they mostly didn't get written down and were lost.  Does Stivell name his source for texts and tune?

Malcolm