Three Little Babes

There was a knight, and a lady bright

And three little babes had she.

She sent them away, to a far country,

To learn their grammerie.

They hadn't been gone but a very short time,

About three months and a day,

When the lark spread o'er this whole wide world

And taken those babes away.

It was on a cold, cold Christmas night

When everything was still

Ahe saw her three little babes come running,

Come running down the hill.

She spread them a table of bread and wine,

That they might drink and eat;

She spread them a bed of winding sheet,

That they might sleep so sweet.

"Take it off, take it off," cried the eldest one;

"take it off, take it off," cried she,

"for I shan't stay here, in this wicked world

When there's a better one for me."

"Cold clods, cold clods, inside my bed,

Cold clods, down at my feet -

The tears my dear mother she'd for me

Would wet my winding sheet."