B
THE DAY SONG

Awake St George, our English knight,
For summer is a come, and winter is a go.

Where is St George and where is he O?
He’s down in his long boat upon the salt sea O.

For to fetch summer home, summer and may O,
For summer is a come, and winter is a go.

Where are the French dogs that make such boast O?
They shall eat the goose feathers and we’ll eat the roast O.

Thou mightst ha’ shown a knavish face, or tarried at home O,
But thou shalt be a cuckold and wear the horns O.

Up flies the kite, down falls the lark O,
Aunt Ursula Birdwood, she had an old ewe.
Aunt Ursula Birdwood, she had an old ewe,
And she died in her own park long ago.


Source: The Everlasting Circle: English Traditional Verse from the MSS of S. Baring-Gould, H.E.D. Hammond, & George B. Gardiner, edited by James Reeves (© James Reeves, 1960 - published by Heinemann) - pp 206-207, #104 B