Lyrics The Wife of Usher's Well - Martin Carthy

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