Lesley Nelson's page for this ballad
Child #3: The Fause Knight On The Road

Francis James Child 1965 [1882-1898], The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, Dover, New York, ballad number 3, "The Fause Knight On The Road".
Child 3A

'O whare are ye gaun?'
Quo the fause knicht upon the road:
'I'm gaun to the scule,'
Quo the wee boy, and still he stude.

'What is that upon your back?'
quo etc.
'Atweel it is my bukes,'
quo etc.

'What's that ye've got in your arm?'
'Atweel it is my peit.'

'Wha's aucht they sheep?'
'They are mine and my mither's.'

'How monie o them are mine?'
'A' they that hae blue tails.'

'I wiss ye were on yon tree:'
'And a gude ladder under me.'

'And the ladder for to break:'
'And you for to fa down.'

'I wiss ye were in yon sie:'
And a gude bottom under me.'

'And the bottom for to break:'
'And ye to be drowned.'

Child 3B

'O WHARE are ye gaun?' quo the false knight,
And false, false was his rede:
'I'm gaun to the scule,' says the pretty little boy,
And still, still he stude.

Child 3C
'O whare are ye gaun?'
Says the false knight upon the road:
'I am gaun to the schule,'
Says the wee boy, and still he stood.

'Wha's aught the sheep on yonder hill?'
'They are my papa's and mine.'

'How many of them's mine?'
'A' them that has blue tails.'

'I wish you were in yonder well:'
'And you were down in hell.'


Lesley Nelson's page of variants for The Fause Knight on the Road
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False Knight on the Road, sung by Martin Carthy with Steeleye Span, from Live at Last, 1978, is on the Martin Carthy Chronicles (2001).
New: 10 October 2001 | Now: 15 November 2001 | Garry Gillard.