The carrion crow sat upon an oak,
Fol de rol de rol de ray,
The carrion crow sat upon an oak,
Watching a tailor mending his cloak.
Heigh ho, the carrion crow!
Fol de rol de rol de ray.

O wife, O wife, bring hither my bow
That I might shoot this carrion crow.

The tailor shot and he missed his mark
And he shot his old sow right though the heart.

O wife, O wife, bring some brandy in a spoon
For our old sow's fallen down in a swoon.

O ho, said his wife, you're a silly old goose
To kill your old sow and not care a mouse.

O ho, said the tailor, I care not a mouse,
For we shall have hog-puddlings, chitterlings and souse.

The old sow died and the bell did toll,
And the little pigs squeaked for the old sow's soul.


abc | midi | pdf

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Source: Cecil Sharp's Collection of English Folk Songs, Vol 2, p 396, No 332, ed Maud Karpeles , Oxford University Press, 1974

Notes:
Sung by Sister Emma (71) at Clewer, Berkshire, 27 February 1909.

 


Roud: 891 (Search Roud index at VWML) Take Six
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