Krady is a Kind Old Man

"Krady is a Kind Old Man" is an old folk song that tells of the misdeeds of Count Craden of Genlith, without ever quite putting a name to them:

Krady is a kind old man
of gentle voice, you’ll listen when
he softly talks to you,
tells you just what he will do.

Old Krady has a grand old house
with glorious rooms, and he allows
in places you to be
that you’d better never see.

Come all to his house, where there is so much work to do!
See how bright and hot in welcome in his hearth the fires burn.
He pays you well, they all said that have gone there before you,
and see, they must have liked it, for they never did return.

Kind Krady does love music so,
he’ll show you places far below
where plangent echoes ring
and just there he’ll let you sing.

You’ve never seen a charming smile
like his before, and all the while
he’ll smile and he’ll ignore
how long you have smiled no more.

Come all to his house, where there is so much work to do!
See how bright and hot in welcome in his hearth the fires burn.
He pays you well, they all said that have gone there before you,
and see, they must have liked it, for they never did return.

Yes, I’m sure you too will like it so, you never will return.