USHAG VEG RUY.

LITTLE RED BIRD

USHAG veg ruy ny moanee doo,
Ny moanee coo, ny moanee doo,
Ushag veg rny ny moanee doo,

C'raad chaddil oo riyr 'syn oie ? *

Chaddil mish riyr er baare y dress,
Er baare y dress, er baare y dress,
Chaddil mish riyr er baare y dress, !

As ugh ! my cadley cha treih !

Chaddil mish riyr er baare y crouw,
Er baare y crouw, er baare y crouw,⁺¹
Chaddil mish riyr er baare y crouw,

As ugh! my cadley cha treih !

Chaddil mish riyr er baare y thooane,⁺²
Er baare y thooane, er baare y thooane,
Chaddil mish riyr er baare y thooane,

As ugh! my cadley cha treih !

Chaddil mish riyr eddyr daa guillag,
Eddyr daa guillag, eddyr daa guillag,
Chaddil mish riyr eddyr daa guillag,
Myr yinnagh yn oikan⁺³ eddyr daa lhuishag,

 As O ! my cadley cha kiune!

LITTLE red bird of the black turf ground,
Of the black turf ground, of the black turf ground,
Little red bird of the black turf ground,

Where did you sleep last night ? *

I slept last night on the top of the briar,
On the top of the briar, on the top of the briar,
I slept last night on the top of the briar,

And oh! what a wretched sleep !

I slept last night on the top of the bush,
On the top of the bush, on the top of the bush,
I slept last night on the top of the bush,

And oh! what a wretched sleep !

I slept last night on the ridge of the roof,
On the ridge of the roof, on the ridge of the roof,
I slept last night on the ridge of the roof,

And oh! what a wretched sleep !

I slept last night between two leaves,
Between two leaves, between two leaves,
I slept last night between two leaves,
As a babe 'twixt two blankets quite at ease,

And oh ! what a peaceful sleep !

*Repeat this verse before the 3rd, 4th, and 5th verses.
+1 A bunch growing on one stalk or stem
+2 "A rib or lath on the roof of the house, under the scraws." (Cregeen.)
3 Oikan is a very young baby.

* Repeat this verse before the 3rd, 4th, and 5th verses.

for music see p251

Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received The Editor
HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2001