Brian Peters Sir Aldingar
Our king has wed a comely queen, fair as the morning star
And in his court he's kept a steward called Sir Aldingar
The birds sang sweet as any bell that chimes in heaven above
Sir Aldingar's to the queen's bedchamber to declare his love
"I love you well, my queen, my dame, the truth to you I'll tell
For to spend one night with you, the salt seas I would sail."
"Away, away, false Aldingar, and darken not my door
Would you defile the king's own bed, and make his queen a whore?"
Sir Aldingar's turned from the room, an angry man was he
And there he spied a leper begging for his meat and fee
He's given that leper wine to drink, liquor strong and sweet
Till he lay drunk as any lord, and he lay fast asleep
And he's taken him in his two arms and carried him along
Until he came to the queen's bedchamber and there he's laid him down
And he has gone unto the king and fell upon his knee
"Sire, your queen's a false woman, as you may plainly see."
He's led him to the queen's chamber, pulled back the snow-white sheet
And there they saw that leper who was lying fast asleep
And the king has called out for the queen, and an angry man was he
Saying, "You have took that leper to your bed instead of me!
Since you have lain in his two arms, you'll never lie in mine;
Since you have kissed his ugly mouth, I'll never more kiss thine
And I will build a gallows tall to hang this leper man
And I will build a bonfire high and in it you shall burn."
They've set her in a prison strong for a quarter of a year
Where mice and rats ran o'er the floor and tore her yellow hair
And she has dreamed a dreadful dream, in the bed where she did rest
A gryphon seized her in its claws and carried her to its nest
But then there came out from the East a hawk so small and brown
Fell upon that deadly beast and struck it to the ground
"I wish, I wish I were a man, in battle I would prove
I'd fight the traitor Aldingar; at him I'd cast my glove
"But since I cannot battle make, grant to me this right:
Let me seek a champion bold with Aldingar to fight."
So the queen has sent her messengers to the North, the West and South
But none of them could find a man to prove the queen's own worth
Save for one last messenger, he rode out to the East
And there he's met with a little one no higher than his own breast
He said, "You are not the man I seek, though you may make so bold
For you are no more of a man than a child of ten years old."
"Turn again, you messenger, do not me deny
Bid the queen think on the dream in the bed where she did lie
"Bid the queen remember how the hawk so small and brown
Fell upon that deadly beast and struck it to the ground
"Turn again, you messenger, greet the queen from me;
In time of trial help may come, and merry she should be."
Now they have built a bonfire high and forced the queen therein
Set in a black velvet chair as a token of her sin
And they have brought the brands of fire while tears fell to her breast
But then they've spied that little one, come riding from the East
He said, "Pull away those brands of fire, douse the flames right well
I'll fight the traitor Aldingar and send his soul to Hell."
But when he saw that little one, well, he laughed both long and hard
"Should I fear to fight a man scarce taller than a yard?"
The little one drew forth his sword; it shone like brightest gold
It cast its light all o'er the field as he stepped forth so bold
And he struck first at Aldingar, took his legs off at the knee
"Stand up, stand up, you false traitor, now you're a match for me!"
And the next stroke that that little one struck, it pierced him through the side
Till his heart's blood came a-running like some crimson tide
"A priest, a priest," cries Aldingar, "for I am bound to die
I will confess my deadly deed; no longer can I lie
"Full well I loved my beauteous queen, to me she did say nay
‘Twas me that brought that leper man into her bed to lie
"Take your wife, my noble king, love her, what e'er befall
For she has proved as true to you as the stone is to the wall."
The king has made that little one lord of his eastern land
And he has took that leper for the steward at his right hand