At the risk of ridicule and disdain, I will dare to post the lyrics as they appear at the Peter, Paul and Mary Web site. Although many of us may not admit it, these are the lyrics we grew up with. Belter, if you search the database for #26, you'll find a number of versions.
-Joe Offer-

THREE RAVENS

(Yarrow/Stookey/Okun/Travers) Pepamar Music ASCAP

There were three ravens sat on a tree
Down-a-down, Hey! Down-a-down,
And they were black as they might be, with a down
The one of them said to his mate:
"What shall we for our breakfast take?"
With a down, derry derry derry down, down

Down in yonder green field,
Down-a-down, Hey! Down-a-down,
There lies a knight slain under his shield, with a down
Down there comes a fallow doe,
As great with young as she might go
With a down, derry derry derry, down, down

She lifted up his bloody head,
Down-a-down, Hey! Down-a-down,
And kissed his wounds that were so red, with a down
She got him up across her back
And carried him to the earthen lack*
With a down derry derry derry down, down

She buried him before his prime
Down-a-down, Hey! Down-a-down,
She was dead herself, ere evening time, with a down
God send every gentlemen
Fine hawks, fine hounds and such a loved one
With a down derry derry derry down, Hmmm

(*lack means lake. It is an ancient pronunciation.)


Well, maybe the PP&M Website got politically correct. I'd swear the second-last line was "such a lovely woman." There are a few other words that aren't what I recall from the recording, but they're close.