Within the fire
  And out upon the sea
  Crazy man Michael was walking
  He met with a raven
  With eyes black as coal
  And shortly they were 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 beat at the four winds
  With his fists-o
  He laughed and he cried
  He shouted and he swore
  For 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 sorcerer's words
  Are to taunt me"
  
  He took out his dagger
  Of fine and broad steel
  And he struck down the raven
  Through the heart-o
  The bird fluttered long
  And the sky it did spin
  And this cold earth did
  Wander 'round startled
  
  Oh where is the raven
  That I struck down dead
  And here did lye
  On the ground-o?
  I see my true love
  With a wound so red
  Where her lover's heart
  It did pound-o
  
  Crazy man Michael
  He wanders I'm told
  And he talks through
  The night and the day-o
  But his eyes they are sane
  And his speech is plain
  But he longs to be far away-o
  
  Michael he whistles
  The simplest of tunes
  As he 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