It was a lover and his lass, With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino That o'er the green [corn-field]1 did pass. In [the]2 spring time, the only pretty ring time, When birds do sing, hey ding a ding a ding; Sweet lovers love the spring. Between the acres of the rye, [With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,]3 These pretty country [folks]4 would lie, [In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,]5 [When birds do sing, hey ding a ding a ding; Sweet lovers love the spring.]3 This carol they began that hour, [With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,]3 How that a life was but a flower [In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,]5 [When birds do sing, hey ding a ding a ding; Sweet lovers love the spring.]3 [And therefore take the present time]6 [With]7 a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino, For love is crownéd with the prime In [the]2 spring time, the only pretty ring time, When birds do sing, hey ding a ding a ding; Sweet lovers love the spring.
Three Old English Songs
Song Cycle by Rebecca Clarke (1886 - 1979)
1. It was a lover and his lass [sung text not yet checked]
Language: English
Text Authorship:
- by William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616), no title, appears in As You Like It, Act V, Scene 3
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FIN Finnish (Suomi) (Paavo Cajander)
- FRE French (Français) (François Pierre Guillaume Guizot)
- GER German (Deutsch) (Johann Heinrich Voss) , "Ein Bursch' und Mägdlein, flink und schön", first published 1819
1 Morley: "cornfields"
2 omitted by Barton, Bush, and Morley
3 omitted by Dring; omitted by Parry
4 Delius, Dring: "folk"
5 Barton, Bush, Morley: "In spring time, the only pretty ring time,"; omitted by Dring; omitted by Parry
6 Barton, Morley : "Then, pretty lovers, take the time"
7 Bush: "And with"
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
2. Phyllis on the new mown hay
Language: English
— This text is not currently
in the database but will be added
as soon as we obtain it. —
3. The tailor and his mouse
Language: English
A tailor had a little mouse Hi diddly um come feedle They lived together in one house Hi diddly um come feedle Hi diddly um come tarum tantum, Through the town of Ramsey, Hi diddly um come over the lea, Hi diddly um come feedle The tailor thought his mouse was ill Hi diddly um come feedle So he gave it half of one blue pill Hi diddly um come feedle Hi diddly um come tarum tantum, Through the town of Ramsey, Hi diddly um come over the lea, Hi diddly um come feedle The tailor thought his mouse would die Hi diddly um come feedle So he baked it in an apple pie Hi diddly um come feedle Hi diddly um come tarum tantum, Through the town of Ramsey, Hi diddly um come over the lea, Hi diddly um come feedle The tailor thought his mouse was dead Hi diddly um come feedle So he bought another in his stead Hi diddly um come feedle Hi diddly um come tarum tantum, Through the town of Ramsey, Hi diddly um come over the lea, Hi diddly um come feedle
Text Authorship:
- by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
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Researcher for this page: Malcolm Wren [Guest Editor]Total word count: 390