Traditional American

Collected in West Virginia, an odd version of the English ballad "The Three Ravens" was paired with the Scottish tune "Ye Banks and Braes".

Lyrics

There were two ravens sat on a tree
And they were black as they might be
And one of them I heard him say
Oh where shall we go to dine today?
Shall we go down to the salt, salt sea
Or shall we go dine by the greenwood tree?
Shall we go down to the salt, salt sea
Or shall we go dine by the greenwood tree?

As I walked out on the white sea sand
I saw a fair ship sailing near at hand
I waved my wings, I bent my beak
That ship she sank and I heard a shriek
There lie the sailors one two and three
Oh shall we go dine by the wild salt sea?
There lie the sailors one two and three
Oh shall we go dine by the wild salt sea?

Come I will show you a far better sight
A lonesome glen and a new-slain knight
His blood yet on the grass is hot
His sword half-sheathed, his shafts unshot
And no one knows that he lies there
But his hawk, his hound, and his lady fair
Oh no one knows that he lies there
But his hawk, his hound, and his lady fair.

His hound is to the hunting gone
His hawk to fetch the wild fowl home
His lady’s away to another mate
And oh, we shall make our feasting sweet
Our dinner sure, our feasting free
Oh shall we go dine by the greenwood tree?
Our dinner sure, our feasting free
Oh shall we go dine by the greenwood tree?

And you shall tear at his naked white thigh
While I pluck out his fair blue eye
You can pull you a lock of his long yellow hair
To thicken your nest where it grows bare
The golden down on his young chin
Will do to rest my young ones in,
The golden down on his young chin
Will do to rest my young ones in.

Oh cold and bare will his bed be
When grey winter storms sing in the tree
His head’s on the turf, at his feet a stone
He’ll sleep nor hear the young maidens mourn
Over his white bones the birds will fly
The wild deer run, the foxes cry
Over his white bones the birds will fly
The wild deer run, the foxes cry.