Within the fire and out upon the sea
Crazy Man Michael was walking
He met with a raven with eyes black as coals
And shortly they were a-talking
"Your future, your future, I will tell to you
Your future, you often have asked me
Your true love will die by your own right hand
And Crazy Man Michael will cursed be"
Michael he ranted and Michael he raved
And he hit the four winds with his fists-oh
He Michael he shouted and screamed an he swore
As his mad mind entrapped him with a fist-hold
"You speak with an evil, you speak with a hate
You speak for the devil that haunts me
For is she not the fairest in all the broad land?
Your sorceror's words are to taunt me"
He took out his dagger of fine and broad steel
And struck down the raven through the heart-oh
The bird fluttered long and the sky it did spin
And the cold earth did wonder 'round startled
"Oh, where is the raven that I struck down dead
And here did he lie on the ground-oh?
I see my true love with a wound so red"
Where her lover's heart it did pound-oh
Crazy Man Michael, he wanders I'm told
As he walks through the night and the day-oh
But his eyes they are sane and his speech it is clear
And he longs to be far far away-oh
Michael he whistles the simplest of tunes
And asks of the wild wolves their pardon
But his true love has flown into every flower grown
And he must be keeper of the garden