A lady stands at her front door as straight as a willow wand
And by there came a lusty smith with his hammer in his hand
"Why do you sit there, lady gay, all in your gown of red?
"I've come to court and marry thee and gain your maidenhead."
Bide, lady, bide
There is nowhere you can hide
For the lusty smith will be your lover
Oh, you foolish bride
"Away, away, you coal-black smith, don't you do me this wrong.
"Oh, to think to have my maidenhead that I have kept so long.
"I'd rather I was dead and gone and my body laid in the grave
"'Ere the dusty stock of a
Coal-black smith my maidenhead should have."
Bide, lady, bide
There is nowhere you can hide
For the lusty smith will be your lover
Oh, you foolish bride
So from her sleeve she pulled her wand and the wind began to rise
And the smith he shook his hammer thrice and looked into her eyes
So the lady she became a mare as dark as the night was black
And a golden saddle that man became and climbed upon her back
Bide, lady, bide
There is nowhere you can hide
For the lusty smith will be your lover
Oh, you foolish bride
So the lady turned to a mighty ship and sailed across the sea
And he became a captain bold and boarded her with glee
So the lady she ran into the bedroom and she became a bed
And he became a green coverlet and over her he spread
Bide, lady, bide
There is nowhere you can hide
For the lusty smith will be your lover
Oh, you foolish bride
Spake she: "I'd never met my match,
But you've matched me stride for stride.
"You've courted me, you've wooed me such that I shall be your bride
"And this shall be our marriage bed where magic clothes entwine."
And the lusty smith became her love for all her mighty pride
Bide, lady, bide
There is nowhere you can hide
For the lusty smith became her love
For all her mighty pride
[Bide, lady, bide
There is nowhere you can hide
For the lusty smith became her love
For all her mighty pride
For all her mighty pride]