The Cripples' Shield-Wall

歌詞

Consider the plight of the one-legged knight As he braces his crutch with his shield; He'll stand still and wait till you come for the bait, Then you'll find that the bastard won't yield! Do you knock his one leg down, there's still no relief, He'll crawl down the field with his sword in his teeth; And the reach of his sword-arm defies all belief Where he fights in the Cripples' Shield-Wall. Beware the old dame who's arthritic and lame, So knee-sprung she barely can stand; But her hands and her eye are still steady and spry – She's the best crossbow-shot in the land! With a repeating crossbow and war-arrow blade She can pierce any armor that's ever been made – Be glad she's not drawn to the highwayman's trade! She just fights in the Cripples' Shield-Wall! Pray do not go near the knight who can't hear: Though he can't tell command-calls at all, He reads signs from his friends, and his post he defends With a lightning-fast seven-foot maul! They say when it's whirling it raises a breeze, And the head on its chain has been known to break trees – So when he starts swinging, the prudent man flees Where he fights in the Cripples' Shield-Wall! No profit you'll find from the knight who is blind. He can hear you twelve paces away: He'll listen off-hand till he's sure where you stand, Then his bill-hook reaps far more than hay! He can fight in the forest, the river, the plain, With his hearing unhampered by dark, fog, or rain – He must know his ground, but he'll sure bring you pain Where he fights in the Cripples' Shield-Wall! Watch out in the fight for the cripple-armed knight Whose hand can't swing up – only down, For he'll watch through the dance till he spies a good chance, Then his downstroke will cost you your crown! His shield-arm will raise up his sword-arm, and then He'll watch for a chance with his downstroke again – You know that he'll strike, but you never know when, And he fights in the Cripples' Shield-Wall! Beware, I implore, all ye masters of war Who prefer to draft healthy young boys; For the blind, halt, and lame can be good at this game, When well-placed, defending the toys. They've learned their art well, and they strike hard and true – If they've something to prove, then they'll prove it on you! The last line on Earth that you'd want to drive through, You can swear, is the Cripples' Shield-Wall! Beware of the Cripples' Shield-Wall!