SIR JOHN AND THE WITCH-MAID
--lyrics by Ernest Clark, copyright (C) 1984

    Em            D           C           Em
Sir John felt the lure of the wood in his blood
G    D          Am     Em
  Sunrise of an autumn day,
   G           D            C                Em
He saddled his horse and he summoned for his hounds,
       Em         D        C  Em
And he laughed as he rode away.


But the forest was deep and sign he could not see,
Though hunt did he far and wide,
The setting sun brought his thoughts off the aimless chase,
He'd have to spend the night outside.

But his hounds raised a clamor and he went to check their find:
A beautiful maid did he see,
Asleep, maybe dead, she'd been hit beside the head
By the branch falling off a rotted tree.

"Awake, O lady, retain the breath of life;
Jesus, send this girl back to me,"
And she woke, and she spoke, and his mind was filled with awe
At the beauty of one such as she.

"Kind sir, where am I?  My head is all awhirl,
Not even my name do I know.
I ask for your aid, for I know not where I am,
My mem'ry is dazed by a blow."

The moon cast shadows as it rose behind the trees,
Glow casting delight in her face,
And Sir John felt a hammer-pulse to echo with his own
As he met her joyous embrace.

At dawn 'twas a scream which awoke the sleeping knight;
He looked, and he jumped with fear
From the withered crone crying, crying in his arms,
'Til he got her attention with a spear.

"Tell me, O witch, what have you done with her,
My love so devoted to me,
Give me the truth, and return her safe and whole,
Or doomed by my weapon you shall be."

"My beloved knight, I cannot be of aid,
I'd do for you all I can,
But my powers and my beauties are forever lost and gone,
Now that I know man."

"Our love would never be had I fully been myself,
Never to have cheated its goal."
She sobbed in despair, and she ran upon his spear,
Which shivered as Hell claimed her soul.

Sir John kissed her withered cheeks and closed her staring eyes,
Then pulled out spear with his glove,
He sent his other hand to circle round her waist,
And thrust, and joined his love.