When a Knight won his spurs in the stories of old...

[TheTecknician]

...He was gentle and brave, he was gallant and bold...

Anyone care to add a line or two or more ?

With a lance in his hand and a steer by his side

For God and for valour he rode through the land.

spear not steer

For god and for valour he rode through the land

Written by the same woman who wrote Mrs Miniver

No charger have I, and no sword by my side

another verse ?
no charger have I

Yet still to adventure and battle I ride

yet still to adventure and battle I ride

Jan Struther. Not a Christian but she was asked to write some rousing hymns for the C of E

Though back into storyland giants have fled

And the knights are no more, and the dragons are dead

And tucked in their back pockets a few chopped off heads

And the [ somethingorothers] are no more and the dragons are dead.

Let faith be my shield and let...

...joy be my steed

Gainst the dragons of anger, the ogres of greed.

So let me set free with the sword of my youth
.....

From the castle of darkness the power of truth

I like the version by Allan Ahlberg better in the poetry book Please Mrs Butler, Headmaster's hymn 😁

When a knight won his spurs
in the stories of old,
he was - face the front David Briggs
what have you been told?
With a shield on his arm
and a lance in his - hey!
is that a ball I can see?
put it away.
No charger have I,
and - no talking back there.
You're supposed to be singing,
not combing your hair.
Though back into story land
Giants have - Roy!
This isn't the playground
Stop pushing that boy.
And let me set free with -
Please stop that Paul King,
this is no place for whistlers
we'd rather you sing!

Or the version we had (actually printed on OHP sheets and sung in assembly...)

When a knight won his spurs in the stories of old,
He was – ‘Face the front, David Briggs, what have you been told?’
With a shield on his arm and a lance in his – ‘Hey!
Is that a ball I can see? Put – it – a – way.’

No charger have I and – ‘No talking back there.
You’re supposed to be singing, not combing your hair.’
Though back into storyland Giants have – ‘Roy,
this isn’t the playground, stop pushing that boy!’

Let faith be my shield and – ‘Who’s eating sweets here?
I’m ashamed of you Marion, it’s not like you dear.’
And let me set free with – ‘Please stop that Paul King.
This is no place for whistlers, we’d rather you sing!’

I was about to say exactly that, the wonderful Jan Struther

That was my favourite hymn, I loved it. Like the poem!

Mumming, that's new to me. Incredible how these old hymns and tunes linger.

Fun fact: When A Knight Won His Spurs can also be sung to the tune of 'Immortal Invisible'.

Try another one...

...I danced in the morning when the world was begun...

Ah great minds - I missed the Marion sweets bit out in mine!