Lyrics Bonny Birdy - Steeleye Span

Bonny Birdy

O it’s of a knight on a summer’s night
Was riding o’er the lee, diddle
There he spied a bonny bird
Sitting upon a tree.
Singing:
«Wow for the day!
An gin it for the day!
Oh gin it were day
And gin I were away!
I ha na lang time to stay.»
diddle
«O make hast, make hast, ye gentle knight
What keeps you here so late?
diddle
Gin ye kent what’s doing at hame
I fear ye would look blate» diddle
«O why should I toil day and night
My fair body to kill
For ninety knights at my command
An ladys at my will?»
«O ye lee ye lee ye gentle knight
So loud I hear you lee: diddle
There’s a knight in your lady’s arms
And she lees better than thee.»
diddle
«Ye lee, you lee you bonny bird
But you’ll no lee again
For I will tak my bonny bow
An split your head in twain.»
«But afore ye hae your bow well bent
An a' your arrows yare, diddle
I will flee tae another tree
Where I may better fare.»
diddle
«O whare was ye gotten, and whare was ye clecked?
Pray bonny birdy, tell me:»
«O it was in the green wood
Intill a holly tree
«An a gentleman came riding by
An frae my nest he herryed me
Put me in a silver cage
An ga me to his lady.»
«Then wi good white bread an farrow-cow milk
He bade her feet me aft
An ga her a little wee simmer-dale wanny
To ding me sindle and saft
But wi good white bread an farrow-cow milk
I wot she fed me nought
An wi a little wee simmer-dale wanny
She dang me sare and aft."
«Time he was away
O time he was away
For he that’s in bed
Wi’s another man’s wife
It’s time he was away.»
diddle
So the knight he rade, and the birdy flew …
«Lie still, lie still, ye gentle knight
What makes ye toss an turn?»
«A birdy sang an it troubles me
An I fear a coming storm.»
«But is no your hawk upon its perch?
Your horse eats oats and hay
An ye’ve a lady in your arms
How can ye wish for day?»
diddle
So he’s turned himself at o’er again
To take a little sleep
And when he awoke the lady’s lord
Was standing at their feet.
Crying:
«Wow for the day
For he that’s in bed wi another’s man wife
It’s time he was away» diddle
So then he’s taken out his sword
An straiked it o’er a strae
An thro an thro the false knight’s heart
He 's gard cauld iron gae.
diddle
Then he’s darked the windows up secure
With muttle shudders sprang
An there was neither sun nor sky
But darkness in her room.
She cries:
«Wow for the day!
An gin it for the day!
Oh gin it were day
And gin I were away!
I can na langer stay.»
diddle
«Wow for the day!
An gin it for the day!
For there was never a living soul
That ever came our way.»
diddle