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Three Ravens

[ Roud 5 ; Child 26 ; Ballad Index C026 ; trad.]

Isla Cameron sang the English ballad Three Ravens in 1964 in a recording made by Peter Kennedy on the LP Northumbrian Minstrelsy. The uncredited sleeve notes commented:

Three Ravens is a ballad found in many countries. In Francis J. Child's English and Scottish Popular Ballads this is No. 26. The Scots version is often known as The Twa Corbies. The plot translates almost word for word from similar Danish folklore. It has frequently been collected in the U.S.A. This version was printed in Melismata, Musicall Phansies, Fitting the Court, Cittie, and Countrey Humours (London 1611).

The Black Country Three (Jon and Mike Raven—no relation to the song's protagonists, I believe—and Derek Craft) sang The Three Ravens in 1966 on their eponymous album The Black Country Three. This track was also included on several Transatlantic anthologies.

Cara learned Three Ravens from Malinky's same-named album Three Ravens (Malinky themselves got it from Susan Thores). They recorded it in 2004 for their CD In Colour and sang it live at the Arsenaal Theater in Vlissingen, Netherlands, on October 21, 2007; this concert was published in 2008 on their DVD In Full Swing.

Both Fay Hield and Hannah James learned Three Ravens from a version collected by Frank Kidson from Mrs Holmes of Stoney Middleton, Derbyshire. Hannah sang it in 2009 on her and Sam Sweeney's CD Catches and Glees, and Fay sang it together with Jon Boden as the September 27, 2010 entry of his project A Folk Song a Day.

The Demon Barbers learned Three Ravens from Fay too and sang it in 2010 on their CD The Adventures of Captain Ward.

Lyrics

The Black Country Three sing The Three Ravens	Cara sing Three Ravens
There were three ravens sat on a tree, Down, a down, heigh down, heigh down They were as black as black might be, With a down The one of them said to his mate, “Where shall we our breakfast eat?” With a down, derry derry derry down down	Three ravens sat upon a tree, Heigh down heigh derry day Three ravens sat upon a tree, Heigh down Three ravens sat upon a tree And they were black as black could be. Singing la do an la do a day The middle one said to his mate: “Oh where shall we our dinner get?”
”Oh down in yonder green field There lies a knight slain under his shield. His hounds they lie down at his feet, So well they do their master keep.”	“It's down into yon grass green field, There lies a knight that's newly killed.” His horse is standing at his side And thinks he may get up and ride. His hounds are lying at his feet And they lick his wounds so sore and deep.
His hawks they fly so eagerly, There is no fowl dare nigh him come. Oh down there comes a fallow doe As great with young as she may go.	There came a lady full of woe, As big with child as she could go.
She lifted up his wounded head And kissed the wounds that were so red. She got him up upon her back, Carried him to earthen lake.
She buried him before the prime And was dead herself ere evesong time. God send to every gentleman Such hawks, such hounds and such woman.	She's stretched herself down at his side And for the love of hime she died.

Hannah James sings Three Ravens	The Demon Barbers sing Three Ravens
There were three ravens on a tree, A down, a down, a derry down There were three ravens on a tree, Hi ho The middlemost raven said to me, “There lies a dead man at yon tree.” A down, a down, a derry down Hi ho	There were three ravens on a tree, Down, down and a derry down There were three ravens on a tree, Heigh ho The middlemost raven said to me, “There lies a dead man at yon tree.” Down, down and a derry down Heigh ho
Here comes his lady full of woe, Here comes his lady full of woe, Here comes his lady full of woe, Here comes his lady as she may go.	Here comes his lady full of woe, Here comes his lady full of woe, Here comes his lady full of woe, Riding fast as she can go.
“Who's this that's killed my own true love? Who's this that's killed my own true love? I hope in heaven they'll never rest Or e'er enjoy that blessed place.”	“Who's this that's killed my own true love? Who's this that's killed my own true love? I hope in heaven he'll never rest Nor ever reachs that blessed place.”
There were three ravens on a tree, A down, a down, a derry down There were three ravens on a tree, Hi ho, hi ho, hi ho, hi ho