Page 103
Roud Folk Song Index #5
An English folk ballad first published in 1611 but perhaps older. Is listed as a Francis J. Child Ballad. Apparently an earlier form of the somewhat darker Twa Corbies
An English folk ballad first published in 1611 but perhaps older. Is listed as a Francis J. Child Ballad. Apparently an earlier form of the somewhat darker Twa Corbies
Three Ravens, The
by trad
There [Dm] were three ra'ens sat [Gm] on a [A7] tree,
[Dm] Down a down, hey [Gm] down, a [A7] down,
They [Dm] were as black as [C] black might be, with a [F] down. [A7]
The [F] one of them said to his [A7] mate,
Where [Dm] shall we our [A7] breakfast take?
With a [F] down, [Gm] derry, derry, [A7] derry down, [Dm] down
Down in yonder green field,
Down, a down, hey down, hey down,
There lies a knight slain 'neath his shield, with a down.
His hounds they lie down at his feet,
So well they do their master keep,
With a down, derry, derry, derry down, down.
His hawks they fly so eagerly,
Down a down, hey down, hey down,
No other fowl dare come him night, with a down.
Down there comes a fallow doe
As great with young as she might go
With a down, derry, derry, derry down, down
She lifted up his bloody head,
Down a down, hey down, hey down,
And kissed his wounds that were so red, with a down.
She got him up upon her back,
And carried him to earthen lake,
With a down, derry, derry, derry down, down
She buried him before the prime
Down a down, hey down, hey down,
She was dead herself ere e'en-song time, with a down.
God send every gentleman,
Such hawks, such hounds, and such a leman.
With a down, derry, derry, derry down, down
[Dm] Down a down, hey [Gm] down, a [A7] down,
They [Dm] were as black as [C] black might be, with a [F] down. [A7]
The [F] one of them said to his [A7] mate,
Where [Dm] shall we our [A7] breakfast take?
With a [F] down, [Gm] derry, derry, [A7] derry down, [Dm] down
Down in yonder green field,
Down, a down, hey down, hey down,
There lies a knight slain 'neath his shield, with a down.
His hounds they lie down at his feet,
So well they do their master keep,
With a down, derry, derry, derry down, down.
His hawks they fly so eagerly,
Down a down, hey down, hey down,
No other fowl dare come him night, with a down.
Down there comes a fallow doe
As great with young as she might go
With a down, derry, derry, derry down, down
She lifted up his bloody head,
Down a down, hey down, hey down,
And kissed his wounds that were so red, with a down.
She got him up upon her back,
And carried him to earthen lake,
With a down, derry, derry, derry down, down
She buried him before the prime
Down a down, hey down, hey down,
She was dead herself ere e'en-song time, with a down.
God send every gentleman,
Such hawks, such hounds, and such a leman.
With a down, derry, derry, derry down, down