Bluegrass Messengers

False Knight on the Road- Finchum (VA) 1918 Davis

[From Davis, Traditional Ballads of Virginia 1929; Rude could be a hearing of "rede" which can mean "advice" or is used in the Mary MacQueen version (Crawfurd text) as "road" as "[on the] road." Davis has "false" as a substitute for "rude."

R. Matteson 2011, 2018]
 

The False Knight on the Road- Sung by Mrs. Sarah Finchum, Elkton, Va., November 23, 1918. Collected by Martha M. Davis, published 1929.

 "Where are you going?" said the false, false knight,
Said the false so rude.
"I am going to school," said the child;
And still it stood.

"What have you got there?" said the false, false knight,
Said the false so rude.
"I have good books in my hand," said the child;
And still it stood.

"Are you a child of God?" said the false, false knight,
Said the false so rude.
"I say my prayers at night," said the child;
And still it stood.

"I wish you were in the well," said the false, false knight,
Said the false so rude.
"And you as deep in hell," said the child;
And still it stood.

X:4
T:The False Knight on the Road
T:The Fause Knight upon the Road
C:Trad
B:Bronson
O:Davis, 1929, p. 549; text, p. 6I. Sung by Mrs. Sarah
O:Finchum, Elkton, Va., November 23, I9I8. Collected by
O:Martha M. Davis.
N:Child 3
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:G % Pentatonic ( -4 -6) irregular
D2 GB dd Bd | d2 B2 G4 | GB d4 dA |
w:Where are you go-ing? said the false, false knight, Said the false so_
B6 DD | GG G2 B2 AG | F6 G2 | A6 B2 | G8 |]
w:rude. I am go-ing to school, said the child; And still it stood.
W:
W:"Where are you going?" said the false, false knight,
W:Said the false so rude.
W:"I am going to school," said the child;
W:And still it stood.
W:
W:"What have you got there?" said the false, false knight,
W:Said the false so rude.
W:"I have good books in my hand," said the child;
W:And still it stood.
W:
W:"Are you a child of God?" said the false, false knight,
W:Said the false so rude.
W:"I say my prayers at night," said the child;
W:And still it stood.
W:
W:"I wish you were in the well," said the false, false knight,
W:Said the false so rude.
W:"And you as deep in hell," said the child;
W:And still it stood.