by Harry Hunter
The Magpie
Language: English
I lingered near a cottage door, And the magpie said "Come in! come in!" And the magpie said "Come in!" The door was open, I went in And I saw standing there A maiden with a dimpled chin A-combing her back hair, back hair, A-combing her back hair. A sweet surprise was in her eyes, But still she did not frown, But even smiled, the pretty child, And the magpie said "Sit down! Sit down!" And the magpie said "Sit down!" I sat down in her father's chair And the magpie said "Kiss her! Kiss her!" And the magpie said "Kiss her!" And yet the maiden didn't speak Which made me think "I will!" For as the red rushed to her cheek She looked more lovely still, still, still, She looked more lovely still. But when in haste I clasped her waist She screamed out "No! No! No!" But 'twas so nice I kissed her twice And the magpie said "Bravo! Bravo!" And the magpie said "Bravo!" Her father then came rushing in, And the magpie said "Get out! Get out!" And the magpie said "Get out!" Her father's voice was like a rasp And swearing he began - And I experienced the grasp, The grasp of an honest man, man, man, The grasp of an honest man. He rained such blows upon my clothes I feel them to this day; He kicked me too as out I flew, And the magpie said "Hooray! Hooray!" And the magpie said "Hooray!"
Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Peter Warlock (1894 - 1930), "The Magpie", 1924, published 1989, note: Tune taken down by E. J. Moeran from the singing of Mr. John Drinkwater, at Cley in Norfolk. [text verified 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2003-10-13
Line count: 39
Word count: 250