The Pixies o' the Wildwood

There were three pixies come to my door
And downstairs ran this-a lady, oh.
One flew high and the other flew low
And the other flew widdershins about her, oh.

Then she threw off her silk-finished gown,
Her shift and all her linens, oh,
And naked as the day that she came into the world
She's gone with the pixies o' the wildwood, oh!

It was late that night when the squire came home
Asking for his-a lady, oh.
The servants said on every hand
"She's gone with the pixies o' the wildwood, oh!"

He mounted on his milk-white steed,
The hoofbeats rang like thunder, oh,
He rode till he came to the manor of the earl
And loud he pounded at the doorway, oh.

"Rise up, rise up, my own liege lord,
And help me seek my lady, oh,
For without the law and the cold, cold steel
She is lost to the pixies o' the wildwood, oh!"

Then the earl rode out with all his men,
The hoofbeats rang like thunder, oh,
They rode till they came to the manse of the church
And again he pounded at the doorway, oh.

"Rise up, rise up, you holy man,
And help me seek my lady, oh,
For without the cross and the Word of the Lord
She is lost to the pixies o' the wildwood, oh!"

Then the priest rode out on his good grey mare,
The hoofbeats rang like thunder, oh,
Until they came to the circle in the wood
Where the lady was dancing with the pixies, oh.

Then the earl raised up his good sharp sword,
The blade shone bright in the moonlight, oh.
"By the King's own law and the cold, cold steel
I command you to free this-a lady, oh!"

"Oh, what care we for your king and his law,
Though your blade shine never so brightly, oh!
No staff nor steel nor mortal unbid
May enter the circle o' the wildwood, oh!"

Then the priest raised up the holy cross
And sprinkled the holy water, oh.
"By the blood that was shed for the sins of man,
I command you to free this-a lady, oh!"

"Oh, what care we for your holy church,
For your words, your wood, and your water, oh!
The blood that was shed and the sins of man
Are nought to the pixies o' the wildwood, oh!"

Then the squire came down from his milk-white steed
And stood at the edge of the circle, oh.
"My heart and my soul are dancing in the ring,
And I never can depart without her, oh!"

Then the lady ran to her own true love
Though the pixies wailed like thunder, oh.
He wrapped her in his cloak and he held her in his arms
And he brought her safe home from the wildwood, oh.