The three ravens
Language: English
Our translations: DUT
There were three ravens sat on a tree, Down a down hey down hey down. And they were as black as they might be, With a down. Then one of them said to his mate: "Where shall we our breakfast take?" With a down derry derry derry down down. Down in yonder greenfield, Down a down hey down hey down. There lies a knight slain under his shield; With a down. His hounds they lie down at his feet, So well they can their master keep. With a down derry derry derry down down. His hawks they fly so eagerly, Down a down hey down hey down. There is no fowl dare come him nigh With a down. But down there comes a fallow doe, As great with young as she might go. With a down derry derry derry down down. O she lifts 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 an 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 evensong time. With a down. Now God send every gentleman Such hounds, such hawks and such a leman. With a down derry derry derry down down.
View text with all available footnotes
Note: "leman" means 'sweetheart'
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
Note: "leman" means 'sweetheart'
Text 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 Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875 - 1912), "The three ravens", published 1897 [ voice and piano ], arrangement [sung text not yet checked]
- by Percy Aldridge Grainger (1882 - 1961), "The three ravens" [sung text checked 1 time]
- by John (Nicholson) Ireland (1879 - 1962), "The three ravens", c1920, published 1920 [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Thomas Ravenscroft (c1582 - c1635), "The three ravens", published 1611, from Melismata; Musical Fancies fitting the court, city, and country humoursMelismata; Musical Fancies fitting the court, city, and country humours [sung text checked 1 time]
Set in a modified version by Frederic Ayres, Arnold Edward Trevor Bax, Sir, Percy Aldridge Grainger, Ivor Gurney.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) (Tinelot Wittermans) , "Dutch Translation", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 35
Word count: 232