Virgin Blood

"What would my Prince of his serving maid?
Do you wish for wine or bread?
Or a candle to light your gramarie
or my body to warm your bed,
   my body to warm your bed?"

"Bring a candle for my gramarie,
red wine, and new-baked bread.
But I'd sooner spill my own heart's blood
than ravish your maidenhead,
   than ravish your maidenhead."

She brought him candle, bread, and wine.
"Now stand you there," said he,
"And hold the candle high, that I
may read my gramarie,
   may read my gramarie."

And the first word that he read aloud,
the flame did dip and dim.
And the next word that he sang aloud,
it made her blood grow thin,
   it made her blood grow thin.

And the third word that he cried aloud,
it was an evil name.
And the last word that he whispered brought
a demon robed in flame,
   a demon robed in flame.

"What would ye of the Lord of Hell
that you so boldly call?
And why should I not hale ye down
to serve me in my hall,
   to serve me in my hall?"

"I offer you this virgin's blood
to take and drink your fill.
Then three times shall you answer me
and three times serve my will,
   and three times serve my will."

"Oh, sweet indeed is virgin's blood
to such a one as me,
but sweeter still the royal blood
of a virgin such as thee,
   of a virgin such as thee."

"Mock not, you japing spawn of Hell!"
"I spake thee ne'er in jest,
for thy body has never woman known
since thou suck'd at thy mother's breast,
   since thou suck'd at thy mother's breast!"

She shut her eyes to the sudden light
and shrank from the sudden heat,
and when she looked the Prince was gone
and the demon at her feet,
   a-kneeling at her feet.

"If you have slain my lord the Prince,
why am I living still?"
"I have fed on royal virgin's blood;
I must serve some mortal's will,
   I must serve some mortal's will."

"No question do I ask of you
and I give but one command:
From now until the Judgement Day
let no demon trouble this land,
   let no demon trouble this land."

The demon bowed his hornéd head
and vanished from her sight,
and the King's priest burned the gramarie,
before the morning light,
   before the morning light.

Now many a hundred year has gone
and men work evil still,
but never a demon walks that land
and never a demon will,
   and all because of the serving maid
   who banished the Lord of Hell!