by John Harris (1820 - 1884)
The burial
Language: English
Will's ferret was buried this morn: When Samuel came down from his bed, He whisper'd, with aspect forlorn, "O, Kitty, Will's ferret is dead." And Kitty soon told it to Mark, And Mark to the rest of his clan. We sorrow'd with visages dark, As if we were mourning a man. "Come, Ann, let us lay her to rest, And you must prepare us a bier : We will heap the cold earth on her breast;" And we wiped from our eyelids a tear. So Ann made a coffin so small, Of cast-off brown paper and thread: This served for a shroud and a pall, -- False trappings, unknown to the dead. And Samuel was sexton and clerk, And Benjamin bearer so brave, While Kitty, and Jacob, and Mark Soon bore her away to the grave. My mother was curious enow, And so she came softly behind, Well pleased with her children, I trow, Who to the poor brute were so kind. 'Neath the hawthorn its grave was dug deep, With sharp-pointed pickaxe and spade. Lie down, little ferret, and sleep On the couch that affection has made.
Authorship:
- by John Harris (1820 - 1884), "The burial", appears in A story of Carn Brea, essays and poems, first published 1863 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Michael (Dewar) Head (1900 - 1976), "The burial" [voice and piano], from Nine Cornish Songs, no. 6. [text not verified]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2010-04-18
Line count: 28
Word count: 187