Bird
Song
Informant/Performer: Source:
Mrs. G. C. Erskine Flanders Ballad Collection D51 A03b
Cheshire, CT, 1 945 Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT
Collected by Helen Hartness Flanders
2 œ
Ϫ
&4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ j r œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ
1 . Ah, said the dove, as he sought his mate, To live a - lone I can't con - state;
& œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œj™ œr œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
While I'm young I'll seek me a wife, And bill and coo for the rest of my life.
& œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ
2. Ah, said the wood - peck - er, sit - tin' in a tree, Once I court - ed a fair la - dy;
& œ œ œ™ œ œ œ œ™
j r
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
She proved false and from me fled, And ev - er since then my head's been red.
& œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œj™ r œ œ œ œ œ œ œj™
œ œ
3. Ah, said the wren, as a - way he flew, If I were a young man, I'd have two:
Ϫ Ϫ
r
& œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ™ œ
Should one prove false and from me go, I'd have two strings to my bow.
Transcribed by Gail Needleman
4. Ah, said the crow, as he sat all alone,
If I were a young man, I'd have none:
I had a love, she did me scorn;
Ever since then I've pulled up corn.
5. Ah, said the swallow, sitting in a barn,
As for courting, I never could learn;
I'll sit and grieve, and that's no harm,
And build my nest in a lonesome barn.
http://kodaly.hnu.edu
