Black Vaughan, an English Ballad

Black Vaughan came riding,
came riding,
through Kington town.
On Halloween Night,
Black Vaughan
came riding,
came riding.

Into the market place,
Black Vaughan came riding,
came riding.
Graveyard dead,
he came riding,
came riding.

Black Vaughan came riding,
came riding,
trailed by
the hounds of hell,
he came riding,
came riding.

Changed himself
into a black bull,
horns gleaming,
fire snorting.
He came riding,
came riding.

Black Vaughan came riding,
he came riding.
To the stone steps
of Kington church,
he came riding.
Breathing the fires of hell,
he came riding.
Came riding.

In the autumn night,
they waited,
twelve priests
and a wise man,
from over the mountains,
waited
candles gleaming,
when Black Vaughan
came riding
came riding.

With pitchforks
and holy water,
town men
and women with
babes in arms
held crude crosses
and false hopes.
They waited
for Black Vaughan,
who came riding,
came riding.

One by one the candles,
were snuffed out
by the unholy spirit,
when Black Vaughan,
came riding,
came riding.

The twelve priests
went to their knees
in the dark,
stopped reading
The Bible
when Black Vaughan
came riding
came riding.

The wise man
from the Black Mountains,
didn't need printed word
to prophesize
when Black Vaughan
came riding,
came riding.

By heart he
recited passages
from The Bible.
He didn't need a candle
to light his faith,
the night Black Vaughan
came riding.
came riding.

The aged mountain prophet
prayed and prayed
until the spirit of Black Vaughn
was reduced
to the size of a blow fly.
on the night
he came riding.
came riding.

Many a century
has passed since
the dark night
Black Vaughan
came riding,
came riding.

On All Hallows Eve,
beware where you wander,
least your soul be
swept up by the black bull
for eternity
you and Black Vaughan
will go riding,
go riding.