Twa Corbies (Two Ravens)

Traditional Scottish ballad, 1802 variant of collected Francis J. Child ballad #26 "The Three Ravens" from 1611. Sung and played on Bob Taylor custom diatonic autoharp by Charles Whitmer; Yamaha piano with organ function also played by C. Whitmer. Photo is "The Twa Corbies", illustration by G. Howell-Baker, from his book Penholm (1901). The original Scots language changed to the following English verses herein:

1. As I was walking all alone,
I heard two corbies making a moan.
The one unto the other did say-o,
"Where shall we go and dine the day-o?
"Where shall we go and dine the day?"

2. "It's in behind the old turf dike.

I know there lies a new slain knight;

And nobody knows that he lies there-o,

But his hawk and his hound, and his lady fair-o,

His hawk and his hound, and his lady fair."

3. "His hound is to the hunting gone.

His hawk to fetch the wild fowl home.

His lady has taken another mate-o,

So we may make our dinner sweet-o,

We may make our dinner sweet."

4. "Ye'll sit on his white collarbone,

And I'll peck out his bonny blue eyes;

With a lock of his golden hair-o,

We'll thatch our nest when it grows bare-o,

We'll thatch our nest when it grows bare."

5. There's many a one for him will mourn,

But none shall know where he is gone.

O'er his white bones when they are bare-o,

The wind shall blow for evermore-o,

The wind shall blow for evermore.

Видео Twa Corbies (Two Ravens) канала Charles Whitmer