| The Great Selkie Traditional In Norway there dwells a maid By-loo my baby, she does sing Saying little know I my baby's father Or if land or sea he's living in Then up stepped he to her bedside And a grumly guest I'm sure is he Saying here I am your bairn's father Although I be not comely I am a man upon the land I am a silkie in the sea And when I'm far and far from land My home is in the Skule Skerry Then he has taken a purse of gold And he has put it on her knee Saying give to me my little wee son And take thee of thy nursing fee It shall come to pass on a summer's day When the sun shines hot on every stone That I shall take my fine young son And teach him for to swim the foam And you shall marry a gunner proud A right fine gunner I'm sure he�ll be And the very first shot that day he'll shoot He'll kill both my young son and me And so she married a gunner proud And a right fine gunner he turned out to be And the very first shot that day he took He killed her son and the Great Selkie Alas, alas the maiden cried This weary fate's been laid for thee And then she said and then she cried I'll bury me in the Skule Skerry The Mermaid It was Friday morn when we set sail, And we were not far from the land When our Captain he spied a mermaid so fair With a comb and a glass in her hand (Chorus) And the ocean waves do roll And the stormy winds do blow And we poor sa-li-ors go skippin' at the top While the landlubbers lie down below, below, below! While the landlubbers lie down below! Then up spoke the captain of our gallant ship And a fine old man was he! "This sweet mermaid has worned us of our doom; We shall sink to the bottom of the sea!" Then up spoke the mate of our gallant ship, And a fine spoken man was he! Said "I have a wife in Brooklyn by the sea, And tonight a widow she will be!" Then up spoke the cabin-boy of our gallant ship, And a brave young lad was he! Said "I have a sweetheart in Salem by the sea, And tonight she'll be weepin' there for me!" Then up spoke the cook of our gallant ship, And a crazy old butcher was he! Said "I care much more for my pots and my pans Than I do for the bottom of the sea!" Then three times round spun our gallant ship, And three times round spun she; Three times round spun our gallant ship, And she sank to the bottom of the sea! Ye Banks and Braes Ye banks and braes o' bonnie Doon, How can ye bloom sae fresh and fair? How can ye chant ye little birds, And I sae weary, fu' o' care? Ye'll break my heart, ye warbling birds, That wanton through the flow'ry thorn, Ye 'mind me o' departed joys, Departed never to return. Oft hae I rov'd by bonnie Doon, To see the rose and woodbine twine; And ilka bird sang o' its love, And fondly sae did I o' mine. Wi' lightsome heart I pu'd a rose, And my fause lover stole my rose, Fu' sweet upon its thorny tree; But ah! he left the thorn wi' me. The Mummers' Dance Loreena McKennitt When in the springtime of the year When the trees are crowned with leaves When the ash and oak, and the birch and yew Are dressed in ribbons fair When owls call the breathless moon In the blue veil of the night The shadows of the trees appear Amidst the lantern light We've been rambling all the night And some time of this day Now returning back again We bring a garland gay Who will go down to those shady groves And summon the shadows there And tie a ribbon on those sheltering arms In the springtime of the year The songs of birds seem to fill the wood That when the fiddler plays All their voices can be heard Long past their woodland days And so they linked their hands and danced Round in circles and in rows And so the journey of the night descends When all the shades are gone "A garland gay we bring you here And at your door we stand It is a sprout well budded out The work of our lord's hand" Mattie Groves 2 One high, one high, one holiday, the best day of the year. Young Mattie Groves to church did go, some holy words to hear. Well, the first to enter was the lady in white, the next the lady in blue, The last to come was Lord Arlen's wife, a flower among the few. She cast her eyes on Mattie Groves, young Mattie Groves on she, What would you give my fine young man, to spend one night with me? I dare not come, I dare not go, I dare not for my life, For I see by the little ring you wear, you're the great Lord Arlen's wife. So what if I am Lord Arlen's wife, I can't deny it all. He is gone to consecrate, King Henry at Whitehall. Oh pray, oh pray, come with me to stay, I'll hide thee out of sight, I'll serve you there beyond compare, and sleep with you the night. Well, a little page was standing by, he took to his heels and run, He run till he come to the waterside, he bent his breast and swum. What news, what news, my little page, is my castle burning down, Or is my lady brought to bed, of a daughter or a son? No, your castle is not burning down, you have no daughter or son. But Mattie Groves has bedded your wife, they lie as they were one. No harm has come to your house and land, the little page did say, But Maddie Groves is bedded up, with your lady gay. Lord Arlen called his merry men, he bade them with him go, He bade them never a word to speak, and never a horn to blow. But among Lord Arlen's merry men, was one who wished no ill, And the bravest lad in all the crew, blew his horn both loud and shrill. What's this, what's this cried Mattie Groves, what's this that I do hear? It must be Lord Arlen's men, it gives me cause to fear. I think I hear the morning cock, I think I hear the jay, I think I hear Lord Arlen's men, and I must be away. Lie down, lie down, young Mattie Groves, and keep my back from cold, It's only Lord Arlen's merry men, calling the sheep to fold. Is not your hawk upon his perch? Your horse eats oats and hay. And I am lying in your arms, and would'st thou be away? Young Mattie Groves he did lie down, and took a nap asleep, And when he woke, Lord Arlen was, a-standing at his feet. Well, it had not been about two hours, I'm sure it was not three, When Lord Arlen appeared in their chamber, standing at their feet. And how do you like my pillows, Milord? And how do you like my sheets? And how do you like my fair young wife, who lies in my arms asleep? It's well that I like your pillows, Milord, it's well that I like your sheets, But it's best that I love your fair young wife, who lies in my arms asleep. Rise up, rise up, young Mattie Groves, as fast as e're you can, It'll ne'er be said in the morning sun, I slew a naked man. Oh, I can't get up, I won't get up, I dare not for my life, For at your side hang two broadswords, and I have nary a knife. If at my side hang two broadswords, they cost me deep in the purse But you shall have the better of the two, and I shall have the worst. And you will strike me the very first blow, oh, strike it like a man, And I will strike the very next blow, and kill you if I can. The very first blow that Mattie struck, he struck Lord Arlen sore. The second blow Lord Arlen struck, young Mattie struck no more. He's taken his lady by the hand, and placed her on his knee Saying "Who do you like the best, my dear, young Mattie Groves or me?" It's well that I like your rosy red cheeks, it's well that I like your chin, But it's best that I like young Mattie Groves, than you or all your kin. He's taken her by the lily white hand, and led her through the hall, He's taken her to an upper room, and killed her before them all. Go place these lovers in one grave, go place them deep within. But place my lady on the top, for she's of a nobler kin. This sad mischance for lust was wrought, then let us call for grace That we may shun this wicked vice, and mend our lives apace SOULING SONG Hey Ho, nobody home! No meat, nor bread, nor money have I got, Yet shall we be merry, Hey ho, nobody home! Chorus: A soul, a soul, a soul cake Please, good missus, a soul cake An apple, a pear, a plum and a cherry Any good thing to make us all merry One for Peter, two for Paul Three for Him who made us all God Bless the master of this house, the mistress also And all the little children, that around your table grow The cattle in your stable, the dog at your front door And all that dwells within your gates, we wish you ten times more Chorus The lanes are very dirty, my shoes are very thin I've got a little pocket to put a penny in If you haven't got a penny, a ha' penny will do If you haven't got a ha' penny, then God bless you Chorus Go down into your cellar, and see what you can find If your barrels are not empty, I hope you will be kind Indeed, I hope you will be kind, with your apples and your beer And I will come and sing no more, �til this time next year The Cruel Mother There was a lady lived in York, All de lee and loney; Fell in love with her father's clerk, Down by the greenwood sidey-oh; She loved him up, she loved him down All de lee and loney; Loved him till he filled her round Down by the greenwood sidey-oh; She leant her back against the oak, All de lee and loney; First it bent, and then it broke, Down by the greenwood sidey-oh; She leaned herself against the thorn, All de lee and loney; There she had two babies borne, Down by the greenwood sidey-oh; She got out her reaping knife All de lee and loney; there she took those babies lives Down by the greenwood sidey-oh; She wiped the blade across the shoe All de lee and loney; The more she rubbed the redder it grew Down by the greenwood sidey-oh; She went back to her father�s hall All de lee and loney; Saw two babes a-playing ball Down by the greenwood sidey-oh; "O babes, O babes, if you was mine, All de lee and loney; I'd dress you up in scarlet fine Down by the greenwood sidey-oh; "O Mother, O Mother, if we were yours All de lee and loney; Scarlet was our own heart�s blood Down by the greenwood sidey-oh; Oh babes, oh babes, it�s heaven for you All de lee and loney; Oh mother, oh mother, it�s hell for you Down by the greenwood sidey-oh; SIR EGLAMORE Sir Eglamore was a valiant knight Fa la, lanky down dilly He took up his sword and he went to fight Fa la, lanky down dilly As he rode o'er Hill and Dale All armored in his coat of Mail Fa la, la, la, la, la, lanky down dilly There leap'd a Dragon out of her Den That had slain God knows how many men But when she saw Sir Eglamore Oh that you had but heard her roar! Then the trees began to shake, Horses did tremble, Man did quake, The birds betook them all to peep Oh! t'would have made a grown man weep. But all in vain it was to fear For now they fall to't fight like Bears And to't they go and soundly fight A live-long day from Morn to Night. This Dragon had a plaguey Hide That cou'd the sharpest steel abide No Sword cou'd enter through her skin Which vex'd the Knight and made her grin. But as in Choler he did burn, He fetch'd the Dragon a great good turn For as a Yawning she did fall He thrust his Sword up Hilt and all. Then like a Coward she did fly Unto her den which was heard by; And there she lay all night and roar's The Knight was sorry for his Sword. Scarborough Fair Simon & Garfunkel Are you going to Scarborough Fair Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme Remimber me to one who lives there She once was a true love of mine Tell her to make me a Cambric shirt Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme Without any seams or fine needlwork Then she'll be a true love of mine Ask her to wash it in a dry well Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme Where never spring water nor rain ever fell Then she'll be a true love of mine Ask her to dry it on a flowering thorn Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme That never knew blossom since Adam was born Then She'll be a true love of mine Now, he has asked me questions three Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme I hope he will answer as many for me Then he'll be a true love of mine Tell him to find me an acre of land Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme Between the salt water and the sea strand Then he'll be a true love of mine Tell him to plow it all with a lamb's horn Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme And sow it all over with one peppercorn Then he'll be a true love of mine Tell him to reap it with a sickle of leather Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme And bind it all up with a peacock's feather Then she'll be a true love of mine And when he's finished with all of his work Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme Then send to me for that cambric shirt Then he'll be a true love of mine Are you going to Scarborough Fair Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme Remember me to one who lives there For she was once a true love of mine |