The Three Ravens – Tekst

There were three ravens sat on a tree,
Down a down, hey down, hey down
They were a black as black might be,
With a down.
The one of them said to his mate.
“Where shall we our breakfast take?”
With a down, derry, derry, derry down, down		 Raven = raaf
Down in yonder green field,
Down a down, hey down, hey down
Their lies a knight slain under his shield,
With a down.
His hounds they lie down at his feet
So well they do their master keep.
With a down, derry, derry, derry down, down.		 Yonder = daar, daarginds

Knight = ridder, slain =  gedood
His hawks they fly so eagerly
Down a down, hey down, hey down
There’s no fowl dare him come nigh,
With a down.
Down there comes a fallow doe
As great with young as she might go.
With a down, derry, derry, derry down, down.		 Hawks = havikken

Fowl = hoen

Doe = wijfjesree, hinde

She lifted 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 even-song time,
With a down.		 Prime = ‘s morgens vroeg,  ongeveer 6.uur.
God send every gentleman
Such hawks, such hounds, and such leman,
With a down, derry, derry, derry down, down.
Leman = geliefde, minnares 

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