X: 1
T:Wife of Usher's Well, The
S:Digital Tradition, ushrwel2
B:From Ballads Migrant in New England, Flanders
B:Collected from Phyllis Burditt, Springfield VT 1951
Z:dt:ushrwel2
M:4/4
L:1/8
Q:1/4=100
W:There lived a wife at Usher's Well
W:And a wealthy wife was she;
W:She had three stout and stalwart sons
W:And sent them o'er the sea.
W:They had not been a week from her,
W:A week but barely one,
W:When word came to the carline wife
W:That her three sons were gone.
W:
W:They had not been a week from her
W:A week but barely three,
W:When word came to the carline wife
W:That her sons she'd never see.
W:"I wish the wind may never cease
W:Nor fishes in the flood,
W:Till my three sons come home to me
W:In earthly flesh and blood !"
W:
W:It fell about the Martinmas,
W:When nights are long and mirk,
W:The carline wife's three sons came home
W:And their hats were on the birk.
W:It neither grew in syke nor ditch,
W:Nor yet in any sheugh,
W:But at the gates of Paradise
W:That birk grew fair enough.
W:
W:"Blow up the fires, my maidens fair!
W:Bring water from the well!
W:For all my house shall feast this night
W:Since my three sons are well!"
W:And she has made for them a bed
W:She's made it long and wide;
W:And she's taken her mantle round about,
W:Sat down at their bedside.
W:
W:Up then did crow the red, red cock
W:And up and crew the gray;
W:The eldest to the youngest said,
W:"'Tis time we were away"
W:The cock he hadn't crowed but once
W:And clapped his wings away
W:When the youngest to the eldest said,
W:"O, Brother, we must away!"
W:
W:The cock doth crow, the day doth dawn,
W:The channerin worm doth chide;
W:"Gin we be miss out of our place,
W:A sair pain we maun bide.
W:Fare you well, my mother dear!
W:Farewell to barn and byre!
W:And fare you well, the bonny lass
W:That kindles my mother's fire!"
K:F
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