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from Volkslieder (Folksongs)

The False Knight upon the road
Language: English 
Our translations:  FRE GER
The knight met the child in the road.
O where are you going to?
said the knight in the road.
I am going to my school,
said the child as he stood.
He stood and he stood and it's well because he stood.
I am going to my school,
said the child as he stood.

O what are you going there for?
said the knight in the road.
For to learn the Word of God,
said the child as he stood.
He stood and he stood and it's well because he stood.
For to learn the Word of God,
said the child as he stood.

O what have you got there?
said the knight in the road.
I have got my bread and cheese,
said the child as he stood.
He stood and he stood and it's well because he stood.
I have got my bread and cheese,
said the child as he stood.

O won't you give me some?
said the knight in the road.
No, ne'er a bite nor crumb,
said the child as he stood.
He stood and he stood and it's well because he stood.
No, ne'er a bite nor crumb,
said the child as he stood.

I wish you was on the sands,
said the knight in the road.
Yes, and a good staff in my hands,
said the child as he stood.
He stood and he stood and it's well because he stood.
Yes, and a good staff in my hands,
said the child as he stood.

I wish you was in the sea,
said the knight in the road.
Yes, and a good boat under me,
said the child as he stood.
He stood and he stood and it's well because he stood.
Yes, and a good boat under me,
said the child as he stood.

I think I hear a bell,
said the knight in the road.
Yes, and it's ringing you to hell,
said the child as he stood.
He stood and he stood and it's well because he stood.
Yes, and it's ringing you to hell,
said the child as he stood.

Text Authorship:

  • from Volkslieder (Folksongs)  [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

  • by (Edward) Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976), "The False Knight upon the road", 1976 [voice and harp], from 8 Folk Song Arrangements, no. 7. [
     text verified 1 time
    ]

Available translations, adaptations, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , title 1: "Le perfide chevalier sur la route", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • GER German (Deutsch) [singable] (Bertram Kottmann) , title 1: "Der falsche Ritter am Weg", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this page: Virginia Knight

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 50
Word count: 352

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