Many years back when these old oaks were young,
not long after the north men had come
a low and evil deed was done
in the dark of the new forest
in the dark of the new forest.
From the shores of Normandy King William came
to Albee? and fair? king Harold to slay
with greed in his heart and a scuralous? claim
he took the land for his own
he took the land for his own.
Now John was a blacksmith an honest, old man
he raised up his children and he worked with his hands
and his familys forge? in a patch of land
in the dark of the new forest
in the dark of the new forest.
King william rode out after his victory
to ravage the land and his hunger to feed
for hunting ground in the wessex street
he took the land for his own
he took the land for his own.
But if you steal the land of an english man
then you shall know this curse
your firstborn sons warm blood will run
upon the english earth.
Now King Williams son was called Rufus the Red
he took up the crown when his father was dead
and he roamed the hunting grounds in his stead
in the dark of the new forest
in the dark of the new forest.
But Johns curse, it called out and Lord Tirell fired low
his arrow struck Rufus with a sickening blow
and he fell from his hourse to the ground below
and the land took him for its own
and the land took him for its own.
So if you steal the land of an english man
then you shall know this curse
your firstborn sons warm blood will run
upon the english earth.
Many years back when these old oaks were young
not long after the north men had come
a low and evil deed was done
in the dark of the new forest
in the dark of the new forest.