Wassal, wassal, to our town!
The cup is white and the ale is brown;
The cup is made of the ashen tree,
And so is the ale of the good barley;
Little maid, little maid, turn the pin,
Open the door and let us come in;
God be here, God be there.
I wish you all a happy new year!
[TWELFTH-NIGHT.]
The following verses are said to be in some way or other connected with the amusements of this festival. They refer probably to the choosing the king and the queen on Twelfth-night:
Lavender's blue, dilly dilly, lavender's green,
When I am king, dilly dilly, you shall be queen:
Who told you so, dilly dilly, who told you so?
'Twas mine own heart, dilly dilly, that told me so.
Call up your men, dilly dilly, set them to work,
Some with a rake, dilly dilly, some with a fork;
Some to make hay, dilly dilly, some to thresh corn,
Whilst you and I, dilly dilly, keep ourselves warm.
If you should die, dilly dilly, as it may hap,
You shall be buried, dilly dilly, under the tap;
Who told you so, dilly dilly, pray tell me why?
That you might drink, dilly dilly, when you are dry.
Another version may be given for the sake of adding the traditional tune to which it was sung:
Lavender Blue
Title: Lavender blue.
Time signature: 6/8.
Default note length: 1/16.
Key: C.
c2 c2 d2 c2 Bb A G F
La ven der blue, fiddle faddle,
f2 e2 d2 c3
La ven der green.
c2 c2 d2 c2 Bb A G F
When I am king, fiddle faddle,
G2 G2 A2 G3
You shall be queen.
c2 e2 d2 c2 A A A A
Call up your men, fiddle faddle;
c2 e2 d2 c3
Set them to work—
c2 B2 A2 G2 C C C C
Some with a rake, fiddle faddle—
c2 d2 B2 c3
Some with a fork—
c2 c2 c2 c2 Bb A G F
Some to make hay, fiddle faddle—
f2 e2 d2 c3
Some to the farm,
c2 c2 d2 c2 Bb A G F
Whilst you and I, fiddle faddle
f2 A2 G2 F3
Keep our selves warm.
[CATHERNING.]
Catharine and Clement, be here, be here,
Some of your apples, and some of your beer:
Some for Peter, and some for Paul,
And some for Him that made us all:
Clement was a good man,
For his sake give us some,
Not of the worst, but some of the best,
And God will send your soul to rest.