Three Maidens A-Milking Did Go

Three Maidens A-Milking Did Go (Teir flac'h a oa at da c'horo) zo ur ganaouenn-bobl saoznek, niverenn 291 er Roll kanaouennoù-pobl saoznek Roud Folk Song Index.

Komzoù kemmañ

Ur ganaouenn gozh eo ha n'eus ket gwirioù warni^[1]:

Three maidens a-milking did go,

Three maidens a milking did go;

The wind it blew high, and the wind it blew low,

And it blew these three maidens to and fro

They met with a man by the way

And one of them to him did say

Kind sir have you the will, and kind sir have you the skill

For to catch little birds off the tree?

O yes I will show you some skills

And very good skills they be too

If you'll come along with me to yonder shady tree

I will catch you a small bird or two.

To the merry greenwood they all went

For the birds they did whistle on every green thistle

For they very well knew their intent.

I laid my love under a bush

I laid my love under a tree

And he beat at the bush and the bird it did fly in

A little above my love's knee.

Then her sparkling eyes turned around

As if she had been in a swound

And she said, upon my word I have caught a little bird

Picking upon its own ground.

Pretty maidens be ruled by me

Never catch a small bird upon a green ground

But catch them upon the green tree.