Lyr Req: Wise Old Pike of Bure / Buir

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wise Old Pike of Buir
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Sep 19 - 06:23 PM

From email

Hello,

I thought I already had an account, but apparently not. Thanks for the work you do in sharing knowledge. I’ve found it very useful so far.

I’d like to join so I can make an enquiry about a song someone sang to me called something like :The Old Buir (sp?) Pike, which started:

“As I went down the Icknield Way
to see the wise old pike of Buir”

I can’t find a trace and would like to ask if any of the other members know of it and can give me more details.

Kind regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wise Old Pike of Buir
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 22 Sep 19 - 08:05 PM

Joe, could the Buir word have been Stour?? And what was the song about??

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wise Old Pike of Buir
From: Gurney
Date: 23 Sep 19 - 02:30 AM

The only animate being called a pike that I've heard of is a predatory freshwater fish, although sometimes soldiers are called after their weapons.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wise Old Pike of Buir
From: Jeri
Date: 23 Sep 19 - 09:01 AM

I'm wondering why this person can't ask the question themself, and whether it's just another unique way to troll - get Joe to do it for you. Or the "Wise Old Pike" actually IS the Icknield Way.
In any case: The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Icknield Way, by Edward Thomas, Illustrated by A. L. Collins Plenty of verse, but I don't see the quoted bit.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wise Old Pike of Buir
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 23 Sep 19 - 09:08 AM

I wondered the same, Jeri. There have been a few requests from various 'guests' that do seem designed to waste someone's time. Now I ask a question back and if there's no answer I quit looking/wasting time on the request.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wise Old Pike of Buir
From: Joe Offer
Date: 23 Sep 19 - 06:35 PM

Requests are the life blood of Mudcat. This person asked ME the question. I'm traveling, and didn't have an answer, so I posted the question for discussion. Seemed like an intelligent question to me. No need to get grouchy about it. Do you prefer the Brexit squabbles in the BS section? Joe

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wise Old Pike of Buir
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 23 Sep 19 - 06:49 PM

Have a nice day, Joe.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wise Old Pike of Buir
From: Jeri
Date: 23 Sep 19 - 09:40 PM

Joe, there's no reason the person couldn't have asked the question himself. It's just weird to ask you to do it, but if that's ok with you...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wise Old Pike of Buir
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 24 Sep 19 - 07:13 AM

Perhaps he thought that he couldn't post a question if he wasn't a member (see his email to Joe and the fact that Joe's refreshed the How To Join thread!).

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wise Old Pike of Buir
From: GUEST,Khair-un-Nisa
Date: 18 Aug 20 - 10:57 AM

As I remember I did try to post and wasn't able. I'm still looking for the song. Definitely not a troll - not sure why anyone would think that.

I think the song contains the advice given by the wise old pike.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wise Old Pike of Buir
From: leeneia
Date: 19 Aug 20 - 10:49 AM

Trolls don't say things like "Thanks for the work you do in sharing knowledge. I’ve found it very useful so far."

I checked my unabridged dictionary, but there are only two cases where a pike refers to a person. One is a soldier who is armed with a pike, the other is a shiftless farmer. I suppose a shiftless farmer could grow old and wise in time.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wise Old Pike of Buir
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Apr 24 - 08:11 AM

I've been able to find the first verse. If anyone knows any more verses, please post them. Notice I was wrong in thinking it was Buir, it's actually Bure.

As I went down the Icknield Way
To see the Wise Old Pike of Bure
And see if what he had to say
Would all my woes and worries cure
Woes and worries and the life and the like
Woes and worries and the like

With an I don’t know and a don’t ask me
And a who can tell and a wait and see
That wise old pike he answered me.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wise Old Pike of Bure / Buir
From: Joe Offer
Date: 01 May 24 - 12:33 PM

Refresh. Anybody have more information? Google is leading me to a poem titled "Pike" by Ted Hughes, husband of Sylvia Plath, but I can't find the poem itself and can't tell if Google is misleading me.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Wise Old Pike of Bure / Buir
From: Joyce Simmonds
Date: 01 May 24 - 02:19 PM

The Ted Hughes poem appears to be a red herring, but if anyone can help with this request I should be grateful. There is a River Bure in Norfolk, so the song may come from there.