As for my Brother in Rouen City, As for my little Sister waiting In the pleasant orchards of Normandie, Tell her youth is the time for mating Tell her England hath taken me! As for my Comrades in camp and highway, Kings and Princes and Barons famèd, Howso great man's strength be reckoned, There are two things he cannot flee; Love is the first, and Death is the second And Love in England hath taken me! A TREE SONG (A. D. 1200) Of all the trees that grow so fair, Greater are none beneath the Sun, Than Oak, and Ash, and Thorn. Sing Oak, and Ash, and Thorn, good sirs (All of a Midsummer morn!) Surely we sing no little thing, In Oak, and Ash, and Thorn! Oak of the Clay lived many a day, Or ever Æneas began; Ash of the Loam was a lady at home, Thorn of the Down saw New Troy Town (From which was London born); Witness hereby the ancientry Of Oak, and Ash, and Thorn! Yew that is old in churchyard mould, Alder for shoes do wise men choose, And beech for cups also. But when ye have killed, and your bowl is spilled, And your shoes are clean outworn, Back ye must speed for all that ye need, To Oak, and Ash, and Thorn! Ellum she hateth mankind, and waiteth To drop a limb on the head of him Or mellow with ale from the horn, He will take no wrong when he lieth along 'Neath Oak, and Ash, and Thorn! Oh, do not tell the Priest our plight, Or he would call it a sin; But we have been out in the woods all night, A-conjuring Summer in! And we bring you news by word of mouth — Good news for cattle and corn Now is the Sun come up from the South, With Oak, and Ash, and Thorn! Sing Oak, and Ash, and Thorn, good sirs (All of a Midsummer morn!) England shall bide till Judgment Tide, CUCKOO SONG (Spring begins in Southern England on the 14th April, on which date the Old Woman lets the Cuckoo out of her basket at Heathfield Fair-locally known as Heffle Cuckoo Fair) Tell it to the locked-up trees, Tell him squat and square Old Woman! Old Woman! - a! Old Woman's let the Cuckoo out March has searched and April tried "Tisn't long to May now. Not so far to Whitsuntide And Cuckoo's come to stay now! Hear the valiant fellow shout Down the orchard bare—a! Old Woman! Old Woman! Old Woman's let the Cuckoo out At Heffle Cuckoo Fair-a! |