Traditional There lived a wife in Usher's Well A wealthy wife was she She had three stout and stalwart sons And sent them o'er the sea They had not been from Usher's Well A week but barely one When word came to this carlin wife That her three sons were gone I wish the wind may never cease Nor flashes in the flood Till my three sons return to me In earthly flesh and blood It fell about the Martinmas The nights were long and dark Three sons came home to Usher's Well Their hats were made of bark That neither grew in forest green Nor on any wooded rise But from the north side of the tree That grows in Paradise Blow up the fire my merry merry maidens Bring water from the well For all my house shall feed this night Since my three sons are well Then up and crowed the blood red cock And up and crowed the grey The oldest to the youngest said It's time we were away For the cock does crow and the day doth show And the channerin worm doth chide And we must go from Usher's Well To the gates of Paradise I wish the wind may never cease Nor flashes in the flood Till my three sons return to me In earthly flesh and blood
Traditional There lived a wife in Usher's Well A wealthy wife was she She had three stout and stalwart sons And sent them o'er the sea They had not been from Usher's Well A week but barely one When word came to this carlin wife That her three sons were gone I wish the wind may never cease Nor flashes in the flood Till my three sons return to me In earthly flesh and blood It fell about the Martinmas The nights were long and dark Three sons came home to Usher's Well Their hats were made of bark That neither grew in forest green Nor on any wooded rise But from the north side of the tree That grows in Paradise Blow up the fire my merry merry maidens Bring water from the well For all my house shall feed this night Since my three sons are well Then up and crowed the blood red cock And up and crowed the grey The oldest to the youngest said It's time we were away For the cock does crow and the day doth show And the channerin worm doth chide And we must go from Usher's Well To the gates of Paradise I wish the wind may never cease Nor flashes in the flood Till my three sons return to me In earthly flesh and blood
