This is the version sung by Martin Carthy with The Watersons. Unfortunately, having taped it from the radio as usual, I have neither the album title nor the year of recording, so would be very interested to learn both. It is called 'The Hare's Dream', but maybe I made that up, not knowing the proper title.
Going by what Dan Milner said in the old thread it must be closer than the Boys' one to the words in the Sam Henry Collection. Maybe Dan could help with the three points of doubt indicated by ???. Thanks!THE HARE'S DREAM
CHORUS: "To my hark, tallyho! Hark over yon brow.
She's over," cries the huntsman. "See, yonder she'll go."On the 20th of January and in the 70th year,
The morning being beautiful, charming, bright and clear,
I being disturbed by dreams as I lay in my den,
I dreamed of heathery mountain, high rock and low glen. CHORUSAs I sat in my form for to view the plains round,
I being trembling and shaking for fear of the hounds,
And seeing no danger appearing to me,
I quickly walked out to the top of the slee. CHORUSThey hunted me up and they hunted me down.
At the loop of the burn, they did me surround.
When up come the huntsman to end all the strife.
He says, "Leave the hare down and give her play for her life." CHORUSBad luck to all sportsmen, to Bowman and Ringwood.
They sprinkled the plain with my innocent blood.
They let Reynard go free, that cunning old fox,
That ate up all the chickens, fat hens and game cocks. CHORUSIt's now I'm for dying, but I know not the crime.
To the value of sixpence I ne'er robbed mankind.
I never was given to rob or to steal.
All the harm that ever I done was crop the heads of green kale. CHORUSMissing words supplied. --JoeClone, 2-Oct-02.