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Three Little Babes Lyrics
there was a night, and a lady bright
and three little babes had she
she sent them away
to a far country
to learn their grammery
they hadn't been gone
but a very short time
about three months and a day
when the lark's spread over this whole wild world
and take those babes away
it was on a cold, cold christmas night
when everything was still
and she saw her three little babes come runnin'
come runnin' down their hill
she set them a table of bread and wine
that they might drink and eat
she spread them a bed of winding sheet
that they might sleep so sweet
take it off, take it off
cried the eldest one
take it off, take it off cried she
for if she'd stay here in this wicked world
when there's a better world for me
cold clogs, cold clogs inside my bed
cold clogs down in my feet
but tears my dear, mother shed for me
would wed my winding sheet
would wed my winding sheet
the tears my dear, mother shed for me
would wed my winding sheet
would wed my winding sheet
and three little babes had she
she sent them away
to a far country
to learn their grammery
they hadn't been gone
but a very short time
about three months and a day
when the lark's spread over this whole wild world
and take those babes away
when everything was still
and she saw her three little babes come runnin'
come runnin' down their hill
that they might drink and eat
she spread them a bed of winding sheet
that they might sleep so sweet
cried the eldest one
take it off, take it off cried she
for if she'd stay here in this wicked world
when there's a better world for me
cold clogs down in my feet
but tears my dear, mother shed for me
would wed my winding sheet
would wed my winding sheet
the tears my dear, mother shed for me
would wed my winding sheet
would wed my winding sheet
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The melody of this song really, really reminds me a lot of 'dirty old town' of the Pogues!
Well I remember studying an old (like really old, based on Scottish folklore maybe) poem for A-Level that was basically this exact story but I can't remember what it was called or who it was by and it's driving me completely mad.
The story is that the three children were sent away and the woman became a widow. Later the children died, but returned to the woman as ghosts. She prepares them a feast and makes them a bed not realising they are dead, ... and I can't remember what happens then. There is something about the sons telling her about heaven maybe? Telling her that she isn't long for the world and will soon join them in death? I can't remember. Please, if anyone knows the name of the poem or story it's based on, post a link or something! Gah...
Can I join in here guys?
yes mokabiel!
How come it says there are 42 comments. Where'd they all go? Anyway, this is an old traditional, right? Anybody know where from? Any story?
It's a folk song from the UK, I did a little researching.
It's a folk song from the UK, I did a little researching.
"Grammery" is sorcery; the lady sent her children away to learn sorcery -- she was a witch. The "lark" is the bubonic plague (the Black Death), so her children died of the plague while learning witchcraft.
"Grammery" is sorcery; the lady sent her children away to learn sorcery -- she was a witch. The "lark" is the bubonic plague (the Black Death), so her children died of the plague while learning witchcraft.
The children come back to her as ghosts. I'm not actually sure about the table being set and the beds being made. Perhaps she doesn't realise her children are dead, or perhaps she is preparing a burial ceremony for them. The "winding sheet" would refer to a shroud...
The children come back to her as ghosts. I'm not actually sure about the table being set and the beds being made. Perhaps she doesn't realise her children are dead, or perhaps she is preparing a burial ceremony for them. The "winding sheet" would refer to a shroud in any case, whether intentional by the lady or not.
I'm not sure what it is Joanna Newsom sings, but the original song says "cold clods," not "clogs." Referring to the cold earth of the grave. "Wet" rather than "wed" makes more sense in my mind. "Wed" makes me think of Antigone.
Why are there geese on a J Newsom site ?
what is going on here?! don't make me turn the lights on and off!
song was by anne briggs as far as i know, redun recently by alisdair roberts...
grow up el bastardo..you sure are true to your username
I always thought it was "for he shan't stay here in this wicked world" not "for if she'd stay here in this wicked world"...?