The Three Ravens
The Three Ravens
There were three rauens sat on a tree,
Downe a downe, hay down, hay downe
There were three rauens sat on a tree,
With a downe
There were three rauens sat on a tree,
They were as blacke as they might be.
With a downe derrie, derrie, derrie, downe, downeChild has 2 versions of The Three Ravens. In addition to these he has The Twa Corbies and three variations of it.
[ Three Ravens Aa | Ab ]
[ Twa Corbies Aa | Ab | Ac | Ad ]
Version A
[ HOME ] [ Numbered List ]The Three Ravens
a. Melismata. Musicall Phansies Fitting the Court, Cittie, and Countrey Humours. London, 1611, 20 [T, Ravenacroft.] b. 'The Three Ravens,' Motherwell's Minstrelsy, No Appendix, p. xviii, No XII.
Version Aa
1 THERE were three rauens sat on a tree,
Downe a downe, hay down, hay downe
There were three rauens sat on a tree,
With a downe
There were three rauens sat on a tree,
They were as blacke as they might be.
With a downe derrie, derrie, derrie, downe, downe
2 The one of them said to his mate,
'Where shall we our breakefast take?'
3 'Downe in yonder greene field,
There lies a knight slain vnder his shield.
4 'His hounds they lie downe at his feete,
So well they can their master keepe.
5 'His haukes they the so eagerly,
There's no fowle dare him come nie.'
6 Downe there comes a fallow doe,
As great with yong as she might goe.
7 She lift vp his bloudy hed,
And kist his wounds that were so red.
8 She got him vp vpon her backe,
And carried him to earthen lake.
9 She buried him before the prime,
She was dead herselfe ere euen-song time.
10 God send euery gentleman,
Such haukes, such hounds, and such a leman.
Version Ab
[ TOP ]THREE ravens sat upon a tree,
Hey down, hey derry day
Three ravens sat upon a tree,
Hey down
Three ravens sat upon a tree,
And they were black as black could be.
And sing lay doo and in doo and day
The Twa Corbies
The Twa Corbies
As I was walking all alane,
I heard twa corbies making a mane;
The tane unto the t'other say,
'Where sall we gang and dine to-day?'
[ Twa Corbies Aa | Ab | Ac | Ad ]
The Twa Corbies
a. Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, no, 239, ed 1803, communicated by C. K. Sharpe, as written down from tradition by a lady. b. Albyn's Anthology, II, 27, 1818, "from the singing of Mr Thomas Shortreed, of Jedburgh, as sung and recited by his mother." c. Chambers's Scottish Ballads, p. 283, partly from recitation and partly from the Border Minstrelsy. d. Fraser-Tytler MS., p. 70.
Version Aa
[ TOP ]1 As I was walking all alane,
I heard twa corbies making a mane;
The tane unto the t'other say,
'Where sall we gang and dine to-day?'
2 'In behint yon auld fail dyke,
I wot there lies a new slain knight;
And naebody kens that he lies there,
But his hawk, his hound, and lady fair.
3 'His hound is to the hunting gane,
His hawk to fetch the wild-fowl hame,
His lady's ta'en another mate,
So we may mak our dinner sweet.
4 'Ye'll sit on his white hause-bane,
And I'll pike out his bonny blue een;
Wi ae lock o his gowden hair
We'll theek our nest when it grows bare.
5 'Mony a one for him makes mane,
But nane sall ken where he is gane;
Oer his white banes, when they are bare,
The wind sall blaw for evermair.'
Version Ab
[ TOP ]1 As I cam by yon auld house end,
I saw twa corbies sittin thereon.
2(1) Whare but by yon new fa'en birk.
3 We'll sit upon his bonny breast-bane,
And we'll pick out his bonny gray een;
We'll set our claws intil his yallow hair,
And big our bowr, it's a' blawn bare.
4 My mother clekit me o an egg,
And brought me up i the feathers gray,
And bade me flee whereer I wad,
For winter wad be my dying day.
5 Now winter it is come and past,
And a' the birds are biggin their nests,
But I'll flee high aboon them a',
And sing a sang for summer's sake
Version Ac
[ TOP ]1 As I gaed doun by yon hous-en,
Twa corbies there were sittand their lane,
2(1) O down beside you new-faun birk.
3(1) His horse. 3(2), His hounds to bring the wild deer hame.
4 O we'll sit on his bonnie breist-bane
And we'll pyke out his bonnie grey een.
Version Ad
[ TOP ]1(1) walking forth.
1(2) the ither.
1(3) we twa dine.
3(2) wild bird.
5(2) naebody kens.
5(3) when we've laid them bare.
5(4) win may blaw.
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