False Knight On The Road- Flanders; Ballads Migrant in New England, 1932
[From Flanders Ancient Ballads, 1966 and Ballads Migrant in New England, 1932. Sullivan was born in County Cork, Ireland about 1855. Learned in her childhood about 1865.
R. Matteson 2011-2018]
THE FALSE KNIGHT ON THE ROAD-From Ballads Migrant in New England, Flanders; Collected from Mrs. E.M. Sullivan, Springfield, VT 1932
"O where are you going?"
Said the false, false knight to the child on the road.
"I'm going to my school,"
Said the pretty boy seven years old.
"What have you got in your woolen?" (school bag)
Said the false, false knight to the child on the road,
"My books and my dinner,"
Said the pretty boy seven years old.
"Who owns all those cows on the hill?" etc.
"Me and my mama," etc.,
"How many of them are mine?" etc.
"As many as have no tail," etc.
"Who taught you so well?" etc.
"My teachers and my mama," etc.
"What did they teach you so well for?" etc.
"To keep me from you and from your wicked Hell,"
And he bowed seven times on the road.
"Bad luck to your teacher that taught you so well,"
Said the false, false knight to the child on the road.
"Good luck to the teacher that kept me from you
And from your wicked Hell,"
Said the pretty boy seven years old.