Danú's second album, Think Before You Think (2000) was voted Best Overall Traditional Act by Dublin's magazine Irish Music. They have been voted Best Traditional Group twice in the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, the only band to achieve such a feat. Their version of Co. Down (written by Tommy Sands) won Best Traditional Song in the same awards.
The Outlandish Knight
Danú Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And into the room where she lay
She hadn't the strength for to flee from his arms
Nor the tongue for to answer him nay
"Rise up, rise up, my pretty Polly
Rise up and go with me
And I will take you to North Scotland
Go fetch you a bag of your father's gold
And some of your mother's fee
And two fine horses out of the stable
Where there stands thirty and three"
So she's lit upon her nimble-going brown
He's mounted the dapple-gray
And when they came to North Scotland
'Twas just three hours 'til day
"Light you down, light you down, my pretty Polly
Light you down, I say to thee
For six kings' daughters have I drowned here
And the seventh will surely be thee
And pull off, pull off your fine gay clothes
And hang them on yonder tree
For they are too fine and they cost too much
To rot in the salt lake sea"
"Well, then you take a sickle and you cut down the nettles
That grow so close to the brim
For I fear they'll tangle my long yellow hair
And they'll tear my lily-white skin"
So then he took a sickle and he cut down the nettles
That grow so close to the brim
And she's picked him up so skillfully
And she's pushed the false knight in
"Lie there, lie there, my false young man
Lie there in the room of me
For six kings' daughters have you drowned here
And the seventh has drowned thee"
So she's lit upon her nimble-going brown
And she's lead the dapple-gray
And when she came to her father's door
'Twas just three hours 'til day
"Hush up, hush up, my pretty Polly bird
And don't you tell tales on me
Your cage will be made of the very beaten gold
And the door of the best ivory"
But then up spoke a fine young man
In the chamber where he lay
"What's the matter, what's the matter with my pretty Polly bird?
You're talking so long before day"
"Oh There's two black cats at my caging door
And my life they will betray
And I'm just calling for my pretty Polly
To drive those cats away"
He followed her up and he followed her down
And into the room where she lay
She hadn't the strength for to flee from his arms
Nor the tongue for to answer him nay
The Outlandish Knight is a traditional ballad that tells the story of a knight who had drowned six maidens and was looking for his seventh victim. He came across a wealthy maiden named Polly and asked her to marry him and take her to North Scotland. The lyrics reveal that Polly was forced to go with him due to her lack of strength and voice to refuse him. Once they arrived in North Scotland, the knight revealed his cruel intentions of drowning her. However, Polly managed to trick him and push him into the lake instead. She then rode back home, and when she was questioned by her father, she managed to hide the truth and scared off an intruder who was trying to reveal her secret. The lyrics end with the knight following Polly back into her bedroom, suggesting that there might be more danger lurking ahead.
The Outlandish Knight is a tragic story of a young maiden who was forced into a dangerous situation. The ballad has undergone many variations in different regions, and it has been covered by numerous artists, including Pentangle and Fairport Convention. The ballad has been interpreted in various ways, with some seeing it as a feminist tale of self-preservation while others, describing it as a cautionary tale against trusting strangers. It has inspired many writers and poets, including William Shakespeare, who used a similar story in the plot of his play, Measure for Measure. Overall, the Outlandish Knight remains a popular and haunting folk ballad that continues to intrigue and fascinate people to this day.
Line by Line Meaning
He's followed her up and he followed her down
The knight has been tracking Polly and following her everywhere she goes.
And into the room where she lay
The knight enters Polly's room where she is resting.
She hadn't the strength for to flee from his arms
Polly was unable to physically resist the knight's advances.
Nor the tongue for to answer him nay
Polly was unable to speak out against the knight's wishes.
"Rise up, rise up, my pretty Polly
The knight is enticing Polly to leave with him.
Rise up and go with me
The knight is asking Polly to join him on his journey.
And I will take you to North Scotland
The knight promises to take Polly to the North of Scotland.
And there you'll married be
The knight intends to marry Polly in the North of Scotland.
Go fetch you a bag of your father's gold
The knight orders Polly to bring him a bag of money.
And some of your mother's fee
The knight demands that Polly takes some money from her mother's stash.
And two fine horses out of the stable
The knight wants Polly to steal two horses from the stable.
Where there stands thirty and three"
The knight provides the exact location of the horses he wants Polly to bring.
So she's lit upon her nimble-going brown
Polly quickly mounts her brown horse.
He's mounted the dapple-gray
The knight rides a dapple-gray horse.
And when they came to North Scotland
Polly and the knight eventually reach their destination.
'Twas just three hours 'til day
It was already early morning when they arrived in North Scotland.
Light you down, light you down, my pretty Polly
The knight orders Polly to dismount from her horse.
Light you down, I say to thee
The knight emphasizes his order for Polly to get down from her horse.
For six kings' daughters have I drowned here
The knight boasts of his evil deeds of drowning six other women in the same location.
And the seventh will surely be thee
The knight plans to add Polly as his seventh victim.
And pull off, pull off your fine gay clothes
The knight commands Polly to remove her beautiful clothes.
And hang them on yonder tree
The knight directs Polly to hang her clothes on a nearby tree.
For they are too fine and they cost too much
The knight believes that Polly's clothes are too lavish and expensive.
To rot in the salt lake sea"
The knight does not want Polly's clothes to be ruined in the nearby salt lake sea.
"Well, then you take a sickle and you cut down the nettles
Polly cleverly asks the knight to fetch a sickle and cut down the nettles on the ground.
That grow so close to the brim
The nettles were growing close to the edge of the water.
For I fear they'll tangle my long yellow hair
Polly is concerned that the nettles might tangle her beautiful long hair.
And they'll tear my lily-white skin"
Polly is worried that the nettles may scratch and damage her smooth skin.
So then he took a sickle and he cut down the nettles
The knight obliges Polly's request and cuts down the nettles with a sickle.
And she's picked him up so skillfully
Polly seizes the opportunity and pushes the knight into the water.
And she's pushed the false knight in
Polly forcefully shoves the knight into the water, saving herself from danger.
"Lie there, lie there, my false young man
Polly mocks the knight as she watches him sink into the water.
Lie there in the room of me
The room where the knight will lie is in the water and not with her.
For six kings' daughters have you drowned here
Polly reminds the knight of the women he has already drowned.
And the seventh has drowned thee"
Polly declares that the knight has finally met his fate by drowning in the water.
So she's lit upon her nimble-going brown
Polly quickly gets back on her nimble horse.
And she's lead the dapple-gray
Polly takes the knight's horse and leads it away.
And when she came to her father's door
Polly returns to her father's house.
'Twas just three hours 'til day
It was early in the morning when Polly arrived home.
"Hush up, hush up, my pretty Polly bird
Polly's father tries to calm her down.
And don't you tell tales on me
Polly's father asks her not to reveal what happened with the knight.
Your cage will be made of the very beaten gold
Polly's father promises that she will live in luxury, just like a bird in a golden cage.
And the door of the best ivory"
The door of Polly's cage will be made of high-quality ivory to ensure her safety.
But then up spoke a fine young man
Another man in the room intervenes.
In the chamber where he lay
The man was lying in the same room with Polly and her father.
"What's the matter, what's the matter with my pretty Polly bird?
The man inquires about Polly's distress.
You're talking so long before day"
The man wonders why Polly is still up and talking so early in the morning.
"Oh There's two black cats at my caging door
Polly makes up a story about two cats that are bothering her.
And my life they will betray
Polly implies that the cats are a danger to her life.
And I'm just calling for my pretty Polly
Polly pretends to call for herself to get rid of the imaginary cats.
To drive those cats away"
Polly requests assistance from her imaginary alter ego to shoo away the nonexistent cats.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind