[Short Version] There bade a wife on Muse Lane An’ a Irish wife wis she She hid three sma and hungry wa(y)nes Wha she tried tae care and feed The babe hadna been three month wi her Nae three month and a day When caul(d), caul(d) daith cam o'er the close An' he stole those girls away
She said, "I wish the wind would ne’er mair blawh Nor fish swim in the flood 'Til my three girls cam awa wi me Awa frae the fever and blood Awa frae the fever and blood"
Well, it fell aboot the Martinmas time
Fan the nichts are lang and mirk
The Irish wife’s three girls cam hame
Their weeds all streaked wi dirt.
They skipped richt doon the narra wynd
They daunced aboot the close
But to the gates o’ paradise
Aye, the girls maun swiftly go.
For the green, green grass is at oor heids
And the clay is at oor fit
And how your tears come tumblin’ doon
To weet the windin’ sheet
To weet the windin’ sheet”
“I wish the wind will ne’er mair blaw(h)
Nor fish swim in the flood
‘Til my three girls cam awa wi me
Awa frae fever and blood
Awa frae fever and blood”
[Full Version] There bade a wife on Muse Lane An’ a Irish wife wis she She hid three sma and hungry wa(y)nes Wha she tried tae care and feed The babe hadna been three month wi her Nae three month and a day When caul(d), caul(d) daith cam o'er the close An' he stole those girls away
She said, "I wish the wind would ne’er mair blawh Nor fish swim in the flood 'Til my three girls cam awa wi me Awa frae the fever and blood Awa frae the fever and blood"
Well, it fell aboot the Martinmas time
Fan the nichts are lang and mirk
The Irish wife’s three girls cam hame
Their weeds all streaked wi dirt.
They skipped richt doon the narra wynd
They daunced aboot the close
But to the gates o’ paradise
Aye, the girls maun swiftly go.
For the green, green grass is at oor heids
And the clay is at oor fit
And how your tears come tumblin’ doon
To weet the windin’ sheet
To weet the windin’ sheet”
Well, she has made the narra beds
Wi rags and stray sae deep
An covered them wi’ well-worn threed
And she’s lulled those girls tae sleep
The cock hadna crowed, but aince Tae welcome in the day Fan the eldest tae the youngest says "Sister, we maun away"
For the green, green grass is at oor heids
And the clay is at oor feet
And how your tears come tumblin’ doon
To weet the winding sheet
To weet the winding sheet”
“I wish the wind will ne’er mair blaw(h)
Nor fish swim in the flood
‘Til my three girls cam awa wi me
Awa frae fever and blood
Awa frae fever and blood”