Lyr req: Come, give me a slice of your bread.

Subject: Come, give me a slice of your bread.
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 29 Apr 21 - 04:31 PM

Hi all,
Difficult one and a long shot.
Trying to match up the following fragment with any other versions, sung by Emma Glover in Somerset in 1909. From what I can make out it appears to be written from the point of view of a cuckoo. I've checked out all the well-known cuckoo songs and it's not one of them.

Come, give me a slice of your bread,
And give me a part of your store,
And I will fly off on the first of July
And never cause trouble no more.

Away and away to the deep
What matter as I can't ride or sleep,
The roots in the earth is all gone,
And the forest looks chilly and cold.

And how would your dear heart be
To see me all covered with snow.

From what can be made out it appears to be a cuckoo explaining why she has to migrate. Possibly a broadside piece.

Any help would be great thank-you.

Subject: RE: Come, give me a slice of your bread.
From: GUEST,#
Date: 02 May 21 - 08:51 AM

The Robin`s Petition, p.921

Subject: RE: Come, give me a slice of your bread.
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 02 May 21 - 05:09 PM

GUEST#. Pity you are anonymous, but that's f*****g brilliant! Many thanks. Mudcat triumphs again!

Subject: RE: Come, give me a slice of your bread.
From: GUEST,#
Date: 02 May 21 - 06:59 PM

You are most welcome, Steve. Glad to help. It took about 15 minutes, but I got lucky with a Google of

"give me a part of your store"    (with quotation marks)

which showed two sites: Mudcat and the Scots Magazine. The hotlink is to the latter. I wish I could say it's due to great intellect or deep insight, but really it's just a bunch of luck and a bunch of patience.

Subject: RE: Lyr req: Come, give me a slice of your bread.
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 03 May 21 - 09:48 AM

Great! I'll have to try that next time.