Fairies By Wendy Jack (Copyright 2012)
Adaptation of a poem by William Allingham
Spoken Intro
Up the airy mountain down the rushy glen
We daren’t go a hunting for fear of little men
Wee folk, good folk trooping all together,
Green Jacket, Red cap and white owl’s feather…
Verse 1
Down along the rocky shore some make their home
They live on crispy pancakes of yellow tide foam
Some in the reeds of the black mountain lake
With frogs for their watch dogs all night awake
Verse 2
High on the hilltop the old king crosses
On stately journeys from Sliabh Liag to The Rosses
Going up with music on cold starry nights
To sup with the Queen of the gay northern lights
Chorus
Up the airy mountain down the rushy glen
We daren’t go a hunting for fear of little men
Little men will take you they’ll take you by the hand
Spin you round and round and round and never let you down
Verse 3
They stole little bridget for seven years long
When she came down again her friends were all gone
They took her lightly back between the night and morrow
Thought she was asleep but she was dead with sorrow
Spoken Bridge
They kept her ever since deep within the lake
On a bed of flag leaves watching til she wake
Verse 4
By the craggy hillside through the mosses bare
They’re planting their thorn trees for pleasure here and there
If any man’s so daring as to rip them up in spite
He’ll find the thornies set in his bed at night
Chorus
Up the airy mountain down the rushy glen
We daren’t go a hunting for fear of little men
Little men will take you they’ll take you by the hand
Spin you round and round and round and never let you down
Final Chorus
Up the airy mountain down the rushy glen
We daren’t go a hunting for fear of little men
Little men will take you they’ll take you by the hand
Spin you round and round and round…
Spoken Outro
Up the airy mountain down the rushy glen
We daren’t go a hunting for fear of little men
Wee folk, good folk trooping all together,
Green Jacket, Red cap and white owl’s feather…