Book of Song

Two Magicians, The

by trad

She looked out of the window as white as any milk
And he looked in at the window as black as any silk

( Chorus
Hel- lo, hel- lo, hel- lo, hel- lo
you coal black smith
You have done me no harm
You never shall have my maidenhead that
I have kept so long
I'd rather die a maid
Ah, but then she said: "And be buried all in my grave
Than to have such a nasty, husky, dusky, fusky, musky
Coal black smith, a maiden I will die!" )

She be- came a duck, a duck all on the stream
And he became a water-dog and fetched her back a- gain

Chorus

She became a star, a star all in the night
And he became a thundercloud and muffled her out of sight

Chorus

She became a rose, a rose all in the wood
And he became a bumblebee and kissed her where she stood

Chorus

She became a nun, a nun all dressed in white
And he became a chantry (canting?) priest to pray for her by night

Chorus

She became a trout, a trout all in the brook
And he became a feathered fly and catched her with his hook

Chorus

She became a corpse, a corpse all in the ground
And he became the cold clay and smothered her all around *

( Final Chorus
Hel- lo, hel- lo, hel- lo, hel- lo
Hel- lo, hel- lo, hel- lo, hel- lo
you coal black smith
...same as regular chorus to end )

* alternate versions of the final verse:

She became a quilt, a quilt all on her bed
And he became a coverlet, and gained her maidenhead!

She became a bottle of wine, filled with sparkling red
And he became a big thick cork and gained her maidenhead