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~ By Courtesy of Others ~

 

Gloucestershire Wassail                  Gloucestershire Wassail MP3 (1,8 MB)
                                                   Gloucestershire Wassail Midi

Wassail, wassail all over the town!          Gloucestershire Wassail Sheet music, full score (pdf)
Our bread it is white and our ale it is brown!
Our bowl it is made of the white maple tree;
With a wassailing bowl we'll drink unto thee!

So here is to Cherry and to his right cheek,
The Gods send our neighbor a good piece of beef,
And a good piece of beef, that may we all see,
With a wassailing bowl we'll drink unto thee!

So here is to Dobbin and to his right eye,
The Gods send our neighbor a good Yuletide pie,
And a good Yuletide pie, that may we all see,
With a wassailing bowl we'll drink unto thee!

So here's to Broad May and to her broad horn,
The Gods send our neighbor a good crop of corn,
And a good crop of corn, that may we all see,
With a wassailing bowl we'll drink unto thee!

So here is to Fillpail and to her left ear,
The Gods send our neighbor a happy New Year,
And a happy New Year, that may we all see,
With a wassailing bowl we'll drink unto thee!

So here is to Colly and to her long tail,
The Gods send our neighbor you never may fail!
A bowl of strong beer, we pray you draw near,
And our jolly wassailing again you shall hear!

Come, butler, come fill us a bowl of the best,
Then we hope that your soul in Valhalla will rest;
But if you do draw us a bowl of the small,
Then the Wolf take butler, bowl and all!

© Winifred Hodge Rose      Frigga's Web
Original lyrics & tune: Traditional English carol. Words slightly adapted by Winifred.

Author´s notes:

Cherry and Dobbin are a team of plough-horses; Broad May, Fillpail and Colly are milch cows.
I changed the words "our master" to "our neighbor" in each verse.
Gloucestershire is pronounced "Gluster-sheer."

 

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