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Origins: The Leprechaun: 'The fairy was laughing..

16 Dec 98 - 08:14 AM (#49716)
Subject: Lyr Add: THE LEPRECHAUN (Patrick Weston Joyce)^^^
From: Brack&

This is one called "The Leprechaun" though it may not be the one your after.

THE LEPRECHAUN
(Patrick Weston Joyce)

In a shady nook, one moonlight night
A leprechaun I spied
With scarlet cap and coat of green
A cruiskeen by his side
'Twas tick-tack-tick his hammer went
Upon the weeny shoes
And I laughed to think of a purse of gold
But the fairy was laughing too!

With tiptoe step and beating heart
Quietly, softly I drew nigh
There was mischief in his merry face
A twinkle in his eye
He hammered and song with tiny voice
And drank his mountain dew
And I laughed to think he was caught at last
But the fairy was laughing too!

As quick as thought I seiz'd the elf
"Your fairy purse" I cried
"The purse" said he "'tis in her hand-
That lady by your side!"
I turned to look - the elf was off!
Then, what was I to do?
Oh, I laughed to think what a fool I'd been
And the fairy was laughing too!

Regards Mick Brackenn ^^^


28 Oct 00 - 10:33 PM (#329465)
Subject: The fairy was laughing...
From: Lena

I don't know the title and barely remember the tune,but this must be a very popular irish song because I heard it sung even in Italy .All i remember is

And I laughed to see that the fairy was caught
But the fairy was laughing too.

Can anyone help?
Danka
Lena


28 Oct 00 - 11:02 PM (#329497)
Subject: Lyr Add: THE LEPRECHAUN (Patrick Weston Joyce)
From: Jimmy C

Lena, The song is called " In A Shady Nook One Moonlight Night". The following is all I can remember, I am not even sure if there is any more, but I'll check and resubmit unless someone else comes up with additional verses ?. It concerns the legend that if you catch a leprauchan he will lead you to a pot of gold, he cannot escape as long as you keep your eyes on him. If you look away even for an instant he will be gone.

In a shady nook one moonlight night
A leprauchan I spied
With scarlet coat and cap of green
A cruisceen by his side
Tick Tack Tick his hammer went
Upon a lady's shoe
Oh I laughed to think of a pot of gold
But the fairy was laughing too

With tip toe step I seized the elf
The fairy purse I cried
The purse he said is in her hand
That lady by your side
I turned to look and the elf was gone
Oh what was I to do
Sure I laughed to think what a fool I'd been
And the fairy was laughing too


28 Oct 00 - 11:18 PM (#329509)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The fairy was laughing...
From: Malcolm Douglas

Mick Bracken posted this one a couple of years back (there's another verse); it's a poem by Robert Dwyer Joyce, (1830-83):

The Leprechaun (above)

A search for leprechaun found it.  I didn't know that somebody had set a tune to it; could anyone post the melody? Malcolm


28 Oct 00 - 11:19 PM (#329510)
Subject: Lyr Add: THE LEPRECHAUN (Patrick Weston Joyce)
From: Jimmy C

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The fairy was laughing... From: Jimmy C Date: 28-Oct-00 - 11:02 PM

Lena, Hi, it's me again. I just found the words in a book in my basement. The song was writen by Dr.P.W.Joyce and titled " The Leprauchan" I was mistaken regarding the title. There is more words as I suspected - here is the complete song straight from the book " Waltons 132 best Irish Songs and Ballads" Enjoy singing it.

THE LEPRECHAUN
(Patrick Weston Joyce)

In a shady nook one moonlight night
A leprechaun I spied
With scarlet coat and cap of green A cruiskeen* by his side
'Twas Tick Tack Tick his hammer went
Upon a weeny shoe
And I laughed to think of a purse of gold
But the fairy was laughing too

With tip toe step and beating heart
Quiet softly I drew nigh
There was mischief in his merry face
A twinkle in his eye
He hammered and sang with tiny voice
And drank his mountain dew
And I laughed to think he was caught at last
But the fairy was laughing too

As quick as thought I seized the elf
"Your fairy purse I cried
"The purse" he said "Tis in her hand
That lady by your side
I turned to look and the elf was off
Then what was I to do?
Oh I laughed to think what a fool I'd been
And the fairy was laughing too.


Mary O'Hara Recording:



Note from Joe Offer (12 Feb 2021): The Mary O'Hara recording has "With scarlet cap and coat of green," as do outer sources I've found.


28 Oct 00 - 11:22 PM (#329515)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The fairy was laughing...
From: Jimmy C

Malcolm,

I have the tune but unfortunately its in my head, I will try to post it somehow, maybe by the Do, Ri, Me method. It may take some time.


28 Oct 00 - 11:50 PM (#329531)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The fairy was laughing...
From: Thomas the Rhymer

This song was recorded by Mary O'Hara in 1960 on an album called "Down by the Glenside, Songs of Ireland". It was reissued by Tradition in 1997, and I have it on CD.
tradition@rykodisc.com
www.TraditionRecords.com

"The song was collected by Patric Weston Joyce from a ballad singer in Limerick in 1851, and is included in Herbert Hughes' "Irish Country Songs", Vol. III.

I first found this song in a collection compiled by Donal O'Sullivan, but I do not recall the book title... sorry.ttr


29 Oct 00 - 01:27 PM (#329771)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The fairy was laughing...
From: Alice

I have it on Mary O'Hara's record released in the US in 1959 on Tradition, called Songs of Ireland. It's also on a newer release on CD and tape called Irish Traditional Folk Songs - easily available on the internet. You can use the Mudcat link to CDNow.


29 Oct 00 - 01:48 PM (#329789)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The fairy was laughing...
From: Malcolm Douglas

Interesting; all the references I've found credit it to Robert Dwyer Joyce rather than Patrick Weston Joyce, his brother.  Does anyone have the definitive word on attribution?  It looks like a poem set to music rather than a song by origin, but that's just my impression of course.  Jimmy C: if you have the technology to hand and would like to send me a .gif or .jpg of the tune in Walton's (assuming it's given), I can make a midi for the Mudcat Midi Pages.  (PM re email)

Malcolm


29 Oct 00 - 08:37 PM (#330023)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The fairy was laughing...
From: Alice

In her book of color photography of Ireland with lyrics to the songs she recorded, Mary O'Hara writes..."The air to the Leprechaun is traditional and the words are by Dr. Patrick Joyce."


29 Oct 00 - 08:42 PM (#330030)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The fairy was laughing...
From: Alice

In the bibliography of the book I referred to in the previous message, she has: "JOYCE, Patrick Weston, Ancient Music of Ireland, Dublin, 1912" and "JOYCE, Patrick Weston, Old Irish Folk Music and Songs, Dublin, 1909,; facsimile reprint, New York, 1965".


29 Oct 00 - 09:01 PM (#330049)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The fairy was laughing...
From: Jimmy C

Malcolm,

Waltons book only has the words. They give the author as Dr.J.W.Joyce. I know the tune only because I was taught the song at school. From the above responses it looks like you can get it from Mary O'Hara's recordings. I may look through my collection as I have several of her recordings...somewhere !


29 Oct 00 - 09:54 PM (#330091)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The fairy was laughing...
From: tradman

Susan Reed also recorded this song on the album "Susan Reed sings Old Airs" Elektra 126. She does a lovely rendition accompanying herself on harp.


29 Oct 00 - 09:58 PM (#330093)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The fairy was laughing...
From: Malcolm Douglas

Fair enough!  I don't want the tune for myself, as -to be honest- I don't much care for the poem; I'm just trying to establish what's what, so that other people who come here later can get the right information.  Does Mary O'Hara give any indication as to what traditional tune was used?

Malcolm


29 Oct 00 - 10:41 PM (#330121)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The fairy was laughing...
From: Alice

On the old record album notes it mentions that it was included in Herbert Hughes Irish Country Songs, volume III, which I have (I had forgotten it is in there). In the book, Hughes notes on this song - "Air taken down by P.W.Joyce from a ballad singer in Limerick in 1853... When Dr. Joyce published his collection of old Irish Airs in 1872 he was unable to remember more than one line of the ballad to which this air had been sung both in Dublin and Limerick and wrote the words here given." I have the sheet music if anyone wants me to post it. - Alice


29 Oct 00 - 11:53 PM (#330170)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The fairy was laughing...
From: alison

yes please alice

slainte

alison


30 Oct 00 - 04:07 AM (#330216)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The fairy was laughing...
From: Lena

Yes,please Alice...


30 Oct 00 - 09:14 AM (#330289)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The fairy was laughing...
From: Alice

I'll try to squeeze in the time of scanning, etc., in the next day or so. It's four pages.


30 Oct 00 - 10:17 PM (#330872)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The fairy was laughing...
From: Alice

Here is the music, spelled "The Leprehaun" in Irish Country Songs edited by Herbert Hughes.

page one click here
page two click here
page three click here
page four click here


Alice


30 Oct 00 - 10:52 PM (#330899)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The fairy was laughing...
From: alison

Wonderful!!!!

thanks Alice

slainte

alison


02 Nov 00 - 08:22 AM (#332649)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The fairy was laughing...
From: Lena

Love you Alice!!!!


02 Nov 00 - 10:24 AM (#332732)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The fairy was laughing...
From: Alice

Thanks, Lena, I needed that! -Alice


09 Aug 01 - 11:17 AM (#524312)
Subject: The Leprechaun NEED BY 8/14 Help!!!!!!
From: GUEST,PUZZLED

I have a problem with just a few lyrics can anyone add them. This song I got from Mary O'Hara "Songs of Ireland"

THE LEPRECHAUN (on her album it is spelled leprauchan). I don't know where they got that spelling.

In a shady nook one moonlit night a leprechaun I spied, With scarlet cap and coat of green a cruiscín by his side. It was tic, tic, tic his hammer went upon a weeny shoe, And I laughed when I thought of his purse of gold, But the fairy was laughing too.

With tip toe step and beating heart quite softly I drew nigh. There was mischief in his merry face a twinkle in his eye He hammered and sang with tiny voice and drank his mountain dew. And I laughed to think he was caught at last, But the fairy was laughing too.

____________ I seized the elf, "your fairy purse" I cried. "The purse" he said "is in her hand,the lady by your side" I turned to look, the elf was off. Then what was I to do? Ohhh, I laughed to think what a fool I'd been ...... And the fairy was laughing too!

Can you fill in the blanks?


09 Aug 01 - 11:24 AM (#524319)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Leprechaun NEED BY 8/14 Help!!!!
From: Malcolm Douglas

This gets asked for from time to time, and has been posted at least twice.  See:  Lyr Req: The fairy was laughing...

Useful information on how to use the various search facilities provided here to search the Database and Forum is available in the FAQ thread at the top of the Threads list on the main Forum page.


16 Feb 11 - 05:29 PM (#3096730)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Leprechaun: 'The fairy was laughing..
From: GUEST,Geraldine

Hi i am a primary school teacher loking for this music for our school choir. I have tried to open Alice's post of the music but I can't get it open. Would any very helpful person email it to me and i would be very gratefu;, especially if it has a simple piano accompaniment with it! Thanks so much, my email is agparks@aol.com


17 Feb 11 - 01:32 PM (#3097304)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Leprechaun: 'The fairy was laughing..
From: GUEST,leeneia

Hi, Geraldine. The date on the post above yours (Nov 00) shows that it was typed eleven years ago. In that eleven years, the site with the music on it went away, for whatever reason.

I don't know if we will ever get the old music that went with this poem. Could you make up your own tune and restore this song to life?


17 Feb 11 - 02:40 PM (#3097364)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Leprechaun: 'The fairy was laughing..
From: GUEST,Grishka

According to Google, the song is alive and well. A copyrighted edition (B & H) is offered by many shops, but the song itself seems to be free. If no one else finds the tune on the net in the next 24 hours, I'll search for it once more; at the moment I have no time.


17 Feb 11 - 07:24 PM (#3097580)
Subject: Lyr/Tune Add: THE LEPRECHAUN (R D Joyce/trad)
From: GUEST,Grishka

Geraldine, I found the song on YouTube. I could not resist hacking an easy piano arrangement, suitable for elementary (my dear Watson) schools. If you don't have ABC software, you can enter the following ABC code to concertina.net to obtain the sheet music as a PDF file (not too beautiful, but legible), and a MIDI if desired. Please tell us how it works. Enjoy.

X:1
T:The Leprechaun
C:trad., arr. Grishka
C:lyrics: Robert Dwyer Joyce
M:6/8
Q:3/8=90
K:Em
%%score { Voice |(PianoL1 PianoL2)}
V:Voice
EF | GFE G2A | B3 z \
B A | G2 E F2 D | E2 D B,2 B, | (A,B,) D E2 G | E3 \
w:In a sha-dy nook one moon-lit night, A le--pre-chaun I spied
z2 B, | E2 E G2 A | B2 A d2 B | A2 F D2 F | G3\
w:With scar-let coat and cap of green, A cruis-keen by his side.
z2 F | E2 E G2 A | B2 A d2 B | A2 F D2 F | G4\
w:'Twas tick, tack, tick, his ham-mer went, U-pon a we-eny shoe,
B A | G2 E F F D | E2 D B, B, B, | A, B, D E2 G | E3 z|]
w:And I laughed to think of a purse of gold, But the fai-ry was laugh-ing too.
V:PianoL1
z2 | B,3 E,3 | F,3 B,3 | B,3 A,3 | G,2F, G,3 |F,3G,2A,| G,3 x3|\
G,3 B,3 | F,6 | F,3 A,3 | B,3 A,3 |\
G,3 B,3 | F,6 | F,3 A,3 | B,3 A,3 |\
B,3 A,3 | G,2F, G,3 |F,3G,2A, | G,3 x|]
V:PianoL2
x2 | E,3 C,3 | B,,6 | E,6 |E,6 |B,,6 |E,3E,,3 |\
E,6 | D,3 B,,3 | D,6 | G,3 B,,3 |\
E,6 | D,3 B,,3 | D,6 | G,3 B,,3 |\
E,6 |E,6 |B,,6 |E,3E,, |]
W:With tiptoe step and beating heart,
W:Quite softly I drew nigh.
W:There was mischief in his merry face,
W:A twinkle in his eye;
W:He hammered and sang with tiny voice,
W:And sipped the mountain dew;
W:Oh! I laughed to think he was caught at last,
W:But the fairy was laughing too.
W:
W:As quick as thought I seized the elf,
W:"Your fairy purse," I cried,
W:"My purse?" he said, "'tis in her hand,
W:That lady by your side."
W:I turned to look, the elf was off,
W:And what was I to do?
W:Oh! I laughed to think what a fool I'd been,
W:And the fairy was laughing too.


18 Feb 11 - 06:28 PM (#3098294)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Leprechaun: 'The fairy was laughing..
From: GUEST,leeneia

Well done, Grishka!


19 Feb 11 - 05:18 PM (#3098710)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Leprechaun: 'The fairy was laughing..
From: GUEST,Grishka

Thank you, Leenia, I am particularly proud of your appeciation.

Perhaps Geraldine is waiting for a mail, not knowing the customs here. Would anyone please inform her, including the link to this thread, since I cannot mail from here?


31 May 13 - 04:53 AM (#3520998)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Leprechaun: 'The fairy was laughing..
From: MartinRyan

There is an Irish language version of this which starts:

"Ar mo thaistil dhom aon oiche amhàin is me ag gabhàil tri ghleann "

Can anyone point me towards a source?

Regards


31 May 13 - 04:55 AM (#3520999)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Leprechaun: 'The fairy was laughing..
From: MartinRyan

Panic over - I found it...

Click here

Regards


31 May 13 - 12:29 PM (#3521171)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Leprechaun: 'The fairy was laughing..
From: Lighter

Just realized after decades of knowing both that the melody of "The Leprechaun" is essentially a rapid 4/4 version of that of the 3/4 "Valley of Knockanure."


19 Nov 16 - 09:17 PM (#3821655)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Leprechaun: 'The fairy was laughing..
From: AmyLove

Oh, the Mary O'Hara version is a delight. You can listen to it here.

I found the Susan Reed version but when I tried to play it, the message came up, "This video is not available." In case people can listen to it in countries other than mine (USA), here are two links (they're both links to playlists of the full album Susan Reed Sings Old Airs):

first link

second link


19 Nov 16 - 10:31 PM (#3821661)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Leprechaun: 'The fairy was laughing..
From: AmyLove

According to this John McCormack recorded this song, but I looked at his discography and didn't find it. Anyone know of a McCormack recording of this song?

And did Joe Heaney do any recordings of it other than the one Martin Ryan linked to above?

I found more recordings including the two below:

Ailish Tynan and Iain Burnside

Eileen Farrell and George Trovillo


20 Nov 16 - 12:16 AM (#3821666)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Leprechaun: 'The fairy was laughing..
From: AmyLove

The sheet music can be found on page 83 in Sixty Irish Songs, edited by William Arms Fisher. It is available online at a number of sites. Links to the book at three sites:

google books

IMSLP

archive.org
(on the actual page where the song appears)

And I don't know if this clears up the Robert Dwyer Joyce versus Patrick Weston Joyce issue, but it's the latter whose name is listed in a Catalog of Copyright Entries I came across.

Side note: the lyrics are included in the book Penelope's Irish Experiences, and the first verse is included in Angela's Ashes.


20 Nov 16 - 09:54 AM (#3821716)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Leprechaun: 'The fairy was laughing..
From: Lighter

Here is what Patrick Weston Joyce himself said in 1872:

"I took this sportive pretty air from Joseph Martin in 1853; but I have since heard it sung in Dublin by Jane Murphy, to a song of which this is the only part I can remember:-

"'O, my darling girl I'll soon come back and surely marry you.'

"As I cannot produce the old song, perhaps the following jeu d'esprit of my own will answer as well."


Joyce spells the word "Leprehaun."


20 Nov 16 - 02:20 PM (#3821750)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Leprechaun: 'The fairy was laughing..
From: GUEST,keberoxu

One of the Richard Dyer Bennet albums from my childhood had this song on it.


06 Apr 17 - 02:55 PM (#3849118)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Leprechaun (from Masterless Men)
From: Lighter

Tune No. 463 in "The Complete Petrie Collection" is essentially identical to that of Joyce's "Leprehaun."

Its title is "Come All Y'United [sic] Irishmen, and Listen unto Me."

Petrie (who died in 1866) notes that he received the tune from "Mr. [P.W.] Joyce, from J. Martin and P. Cudmore."

This was apparently the song of which Joyce, in 1873, could recall only one line: "O, my darling girl, I'll soon come back and surely marry you!" (Unless he'd heard a second song to the same tune!)

I haven't been able to find a text of the song.


14 May 17 - 03:06 PM (#3855075)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Leprechaun: 'The fairy was laughing..
From: Thomas Stern

RICHARD DYER-BENNET recorded the song in his first album
LUTE SINGER(1941), recorded and privately issued by Frederick C. Packard (Harvard University).
Reissued on Lp - STINSON SLP 61 A RICHARD DYER-BENNET CONCERT.
The song was re-recorded 1958 for Dyer-Bennet's own label
6000 Vol.6 "with young people in mind"
The song is included in VANGUARD compilation 2-Lp album VSD-95/96 (1977), and on CD Vanguard Classics(Omega) OVC 6007 (1991).
Smithsonian Folkways reissued Dyer-Bennet 6 on CD in 2000 SFW45053.

I also believe John McCormack recorded it, but do not see it under
that title in the discography. My vague recollection is that it was
a live recording (aircheck), possibly the AVOCA Lp or a PEARL album????? Perhaps someone with these discs handy would check.

Thanks.
Thomas.


14 May 17 - 07:24 PM (#3855108)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Leprechaun: 'The fairy was laughing..
From: Lighter

I posted this to a parallel thread last month:

Tune No. 463 in "The Complete Petrie Collection" is essentially identical to that of Joyce's "Leprehaun."

Its title is "Come All Y'United [sic] Irishmen, and Listen unto Me."

Petrie (who died in 1866) notes that he received the tune from "Mr. [P.W.] Joyce, from J. Martin and P. Cudmore."

This was apparently the song of which Joyce, in 1873, could recall only one line: "O, my darling girl, I'll soon come back and surely marry you!" (Unless he'd heard a second song to the same tune!)

I haven't been able to find a text of the song.


13 Feb 21 - 03:09 AM (#4092900)
Subject: ADD Version: The Leprechaun (P.W. Joyce)
From: Joe Offer

Here's the song from The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 87, Page 325, 1901 (Google Books). The song is attributed in Atlantic to Patrick W. Joyce, who published collections of Irish songs. These lyrics are almost the same as what's posted above, but I thought the age of these lyrics was relevant. Note the spelling, "leprehaun."


From an article titled "Penelope's Irish Experiences."

When we were quite cross at missing the noon train from Rossan, and quite tired of the car's jolting, Barney (O'Mara) appeased us all by singing, in a delightful mellow voice, a fairy song called "The Leprehaun" (by Patrick W. Joyce). This personage, you must know, if you have n't a large acquaintance among Irish fairies, is a tricksy fellow in a green coat and scarlet cap, with brave shoe buckles on his wee brogues. You will catch him sometimes, if the "Glamour" is on you, under a burdock leaf or a thorn bush, and he is always making or mending a shoe. He commonly has a little purse about him, which, if you are quick enough, you can snatch; and a wonderful purse it is, for, whatever you spend, there is always money to be found in it. Truth to tell, nobody has yet succeeded in being quicker than Master Leprehaun, though many have offered to fill his cruiskeen with "mountain dew," of which Irish fairies are passionately fond.


THE LEPREHAUN
(Patrick W. Joyce)

In a shady nook, one moonlight night,
   A leprehaun I spied;
With scarlet cap and coat of green
   A cruiskeen by his side.
'T was tick, tack, tick, his hammer went,
   Upon a weeny shoe;
And I laughed to think of his purse of gold;
   But the fairy was laughing too!

With tip-toe step and beating heart,
   Quite softly I drew nigh:
There was mischief in his merry face,
   A twinkle in his eye.
He hammered, and sang with tiny voice,
   And drank his mountain dew;
And I laughed to think he was caught at last;
   But the fairy was laughing too!

As quick as thought I seized the elf,
   'Your fairy purse,' I cried.
'The purse!' he said — 'T is in her hand —
   That lady at your side.'
I turned to look: the elf was off.
   Then what was I to do?
O, I laughed to think what a fool I'd been;
   And the fairy was laughing too.


Recording by Margaret Barry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUZO4Lvt6Wo

Recording by Richard Dyer-Bennet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o09nnxf_yzs


13 Feb 21 - 07:41 AM (#4092921)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Leprechaun: 'The fairy was laughing..
From: Lighter

Joe, except for punctuation, those are precisely the lyrics that Joyce published in 1873.