The Two Magicians

Child #44

Other titles or closely related songs: The Twa Magicians, Les Transformations, La Poursuite d'Amour, and similar titles in many other langauges

The lady sits at her own front door

As straight as a willow wand

And by there come a lusty smith

With his hammer in his hand

 

Well may you dress my lady fair

All in your robes of red

I'll come tomorrow at this same time

And have your maiden head

Singing bide lady bide

There's nowhere you can hide

For the lusty smith will be your love

And that’ll pull down your pride.

 

Away, away you coal black smith

Would you do me this wrong

For to think to have me maiden head

That I have kept so long

 

I'd rather I was dead and cold

And me body laid in the grave

Than a lusty, dusty, coal black smith

Me maiden head should have

Singing . . .

 

So the lady, she curled up her hand

And swore upon her soul

That he'd not have her maiden head

For all of a pot of gold.

 

But the blacksmith he curled up his hand

And he swore upon the mast

I’ll have you for me love my girl

For the half of that or less

Singing. . .

 

So the lady she turned into a dove

And flew up into the air

Ah, but he became an old cock pigeon

And they flew pair and pair

So the lady she turned into a mare

As dark as the night was black

Ah, but he became a golden saddle

And he clumb upon to her back

Singing. . .

So the lady she turned into a hare

And ran all over the plain

Ah, but he became a greyhound dog

And fetched her back again

So the lady she turned into a fly

And fluttered up into the air

Ah, but he became a big, hairy spider

And dragged her into his lair

Singing. . .

 

So the lady she turned into a sheep

Grazing on yon common

Ah, but he became a big horny ram

And soon he was upon her.

 

So she turned into a full dress ship

And she sailed all over the sea

Ah, but he became a bold captain

And aboard of her went he

Singing. . .

 

So the lady she turned into a cloud

Floating away in the air

Ah, but he became a lightning flash

And zipped right into her

So she became a big cockroach

Scurrying all over the place

Ah, but he became a Roach Motel™

And gummed up that lady's legs.

Singing. . .

So she turned into a mulberry tree

A mulberry tree in the wood

Ah, but he came forth as the morning dew

And sprinkled her where she stood.

Singing. . .

 

So the lady she ran into the bedroom

And she changed into a bed

Ah, but he became a green coverlet

And he gained her maidenhead

 

And once she woke he held her so

And still he bad her bide

And the lusty smith became her love

For all of her mighty pride. <end>

Another old song with a relatively happy ending. Folks have been chasing each other around for many thousands of years. I wrote one of the verses; the others go back several centuries. Variations of this song, or the story behind it, were widely known throughout Europe, including Turkey.