The Wife of Usher's Well

There lived a wife in Usher's Well

And a wealthy wife was she

She'd three fine and stalwart sons

And sent them o'er the sea

They'd not been gone a week

And a week but barely one

When death sweeping over the land

Took 'em one by one

And they'd not been gone a week

A week but barely three

When word come to that young girl

Her babes she'd never see

I wish the wind would never blow

No fish swim in the flood

Till my darling babes are home

They're home in flesh and blood

And there about the Martinmas

Nights are long and dark

Her three kids come to her door

Their hats were made of bark

And the tree never grew in any ditch

Nor down by any wall

But at the gates of Paradise

Grew strong grew tall

Blow up the fire my maidens all

Bring water from the well

Since my darling babes are home

They've come home safe and well

So she has laid the table

With bread and with wine

Come eat and drink my darling babes

Eat and drink of mine

We may not eat your bread mother

Nor may we drink your wine

For cold death is lord of all

To him we must resign

The green grass is at our head

And the clay is at our feet

And your tears come tumbling down

And wet our winding sheet

So she has made the bed for them

Spread the milk-white sheet

She's laid it all with cloth of gold

To see if they could sleep

And up and crew the red cock

Up and crew the grey

And the youngest to the eldest says

Brother we must away

And the cock had not crowed once

And clapped his wings for day

When the eldest to the youngest says

Brother we must away

For the cock crow the day dawn

The chunnering worm chide

And if we're missed out of our place

Then pain we must bide

Farewell farewell my mother dear

Farewell to barn and byre

And farewell the sweet young girl

Kindling my mother's fire