The Baffled Knight (Child 112E)

There was a knight, was drunk with wine,
Came riding along the way, sir;
He would have had a lady gay
Amang the quiles of hay, sir.

'What if I should lay thee down,
Amang the quiles of hay, maid?
Sheets nor blankets have I none,
To keep thy cloathing clean, maid.'

'The wind blaws east, the wind blaws west,
The wind blaws owre yon thorn, sir;
Weel may I wash my cloathing clear,
And dry them on the morn, sir.'

'What if I should lay thee down,
Amang the rigs of corn, maid?
Then the king's life-guard will come,
And steal our steeds away, maid.'

'I have ten gold rings on my hand,
They're all gold but the stone, sir;
I'll give them to the king's life-guard,
If he'll let our steeds alone, sir.

'But see you not yon sunny bank,
Over yon lily lea, sir,
Where you and I may crack a while,
And never one may see, sir?'

He was on a milk-white steed,
And she was on another,
And all the live-long winter night
They rode like sister and brother.

When they came to that sunny bank,
He began to lay her down, sir;
'O no, O no, kind sir,' she says,
'Ye'll ruffle all my gown, sir.

'My gown it cost my father dear,
'T was many a mark and pound, sir;
And if that ye do lay me down,
Ye'll ruffle all my gown, sir.

'But see ye na yon fair castel,
Over yon lily lea, sir,
Where you and I may crack a while,
And never one may see, sir?'

He was on a milk-white steed,
And she was on another,
And all the live-long winter night
They rode like sister and brother.

When they came to that fair castel,
She was at her father's yet, sir;
She jumped in at her father's door,
And left this knight without, sir.

She says, I am a maid within,
You're but a knave without, sir;
There were neer a butcher's son
Put me in so much doubt, sir.

'Oh if I had thee out,' he said,
'But two miles from the town, maid,
I would lay thee down,' he said,
'And never mind thy gown, maid.'

'There is a flower in my father's garden,
The name o't marigold, sir,
And he that would not when he might,
He shall not when he wold, sir.

'But when eer ye meet a pretty maid,
And two miles from a town, sir,
Ye may lay her down,' she says,
'And never mind her gown, sir.

'Ye're like unto my father's steed;
He's standing in the lone, sir;
He hings his head above the sheaf,
But daur not venture on, sir.

'When eer ye meet a pretty maid,
And two miles from the town, sir,
Ye may lay her down,' she says,
'And never mind her gown, sir.

'There is a cock in my father's flock,
He wears a double comb, sir,
He claps his wings, but craweth not;
I fear you be like him, sir.

'But when eer you meet a pretty maid,
And two miles from a town, sir,
You may lay her down,' she said,
'And never mind her gown, sir.'