_The_Twa_Magicians_

[IED0DXM%UCLAMVS.BITNET@MITVMA.MIT.EDU]

     Heeding a Love-Hounds request, IED has transcribed the lyrics to
the old Irish folksong _The_Twa_Magicians_. Actually, this song has
variants all over Europe, and its English and Irish versions are not
the earliest. The following version is the one that Kate probably
learned as a child, since it is the work of A. L. "Burt" Lloyd, one of
the fathers of the English and Irish folkmusic revival of our century,
and a great favourite of Kate's.  IED transcribed as well as he could
from the recording of the song by Martin Carthy (the album, which also
includes an a cappella rendition of "The Handsome Cabin Boy", is
called _Martin_Carthy_with_Dave_Swarbrick_, on Topic, 12 TS 340 --
1977).

_The_Twa_Magicians_

A lady sits in her own front door
As straight as a willow wand,
And by there come a lusty smith
With a hammer in his hand, and he said

     Bide, lady, bide,
     There's nowhere you can hide,
     For the lusty smith will be your love
     And he will lay your pride.

"Well may stand you, lady fair
All in your robe of red,
But come tomorrow at this same time
I'll have you in me bed," and he said

     Bide, lady, bide,
     There's nowhere you can hide,
     For the lusty smith will be your love
     And he will lay your pride.

"Away, away, you coal-blacksmith,
Would you do me this wrong?
To think to have me maidenhead
That I have kept so long!

"I'd rather I was dead and cold
And my body laid in my grave,
Than a husky, dusky coal-blacksmith
Me maidenhead should have!"

So the lady she held up her hand,
And she swore upon her soul,
That she'd not be the blacksmith's love
For all of a box of gold.

But the blacksmith he held up his hand
And he swore upon the Mass,
Saying "I'll have you in me bed, young girl,
For the half of -------------  (unintelligible).

     Bide, lady, bide,
     There's nowhere you can hide,
     For the lusty smith will be your love
     And he will lay your pride.

INSTRUMENTAL BRIDGE

So the lady she turned into a dove
And she flew up in the air,
But he became an old cock-pigeon
And they flew pair and pair, crying

     Bide, lady, bide,
     There's nowhere you can hide,
     For the lusty smith will be your love
     And he will lay your pride.

So the lady she turned into a hare
And she ran across the plain,
But he became a greyhound dog
And he ran her down again, crying

     Bide, lady, bide,
     There's nowhere you can hide,
     For the lusty smith will be your love
     And he will lay your pride.

So she became a little mare
As dark as the night was black,
But he became a golden saddle
And he clung on to her back, crying

     Bide, lady, bide,
     There's nowhere you can hide,
     For the lusty smith will be your love
     And he will lay your pride.

So she became a hot griddle
And he became a cake,
And every move that poor girl made
The blacksmith was her make.

So she became a full-dress (?) ship
And sailed upon the sea,
But he became a bold captain
And aboard of her went he, crying

     Bide, lady, bide,
     There's nowhere you can hide,
     For the lusty smith will be your love
     And he will lay your pride.

So the lady she went into the bedroom
And she changed into a bed,
But he became a green coverlet
And he gained her maidenhead.

And watch ye how (?) he held her soul,
And still he bad her bide,
And the lusty smith became her love
For all her mighty pride.