Three Craws
Shona wrote: "Here is another song that my grandma sang to me when I was small, although she was from Glasgow not Aberdeen:
Three Craws
Three Crows
Children's Song
Children's Song
(Scots)
(English)
Three craws sat upon a waa
sat upon a waa
sat upon a waa-a-a-aa
Three craws sat upon a waa on a cal an frosty mornin'
'i* first craw wiz greetin for is ma
greetin for is ma
greetin for is ma-a-a-aa
'i first craw wiz greetin for is ma on a cal an frosty mornin'
'i second craw wiz greetin for is da
greetin for is da
greetin for is da-a-a-aa
'i second craw wiz greetin for is da on a cal an frosty mornin'
'i third craw cudna flee ata
cudna flee ata
cudna flee ata-a-a-aa
'i third craw cudna flee ata on a cal and frosty mornin'.
Three crows sat upon a wall,
Sat upon a wall
Sat upon a wall
Three crows sat upon a wall on a cold and frosty morning.
The first crow was crying for his mother,
Crying for his mother
Crying for his mother
The first crow was crying for his mother on a cold and frosty morning.
The second crow was crying for his father,
Crying for his father
Crying for his father
The second crow was crying for his father on a cold and frosty morning.
The third crow couldn't fly at all,
Couldn't fly at all
Couldn't fly at all
The third crow couldn't fly at all on a cold and frosty morning.
Notes
*Pronounced as in sit - meaning "the"
*****
Linna Monteath wrote:
Hi there - Lovely website, this. Just read 'Three Craws' from Scotland. My childhood version, from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Stirling has the same first and third verse, but the second verse is:
The second craw fell an' broke its jaw,
fell an' broke its jaw,
fell an' broke its jaw, aw, aw, aw,
the second craw fell an' broke its jaw,
on a cold an' frosty mornin'.
There is also a fourth verse which goes:
The fourth craw wasnae there at a'
and stops dead at that point.
The translation, if needed would be:
The second crow fell and broke its jaw
repeat
on a cold and frosty morning.
And:
The fourth crow wasn't there at all.
But it has no charm in an English pronunciation!
Thanks again for the site.
Linna Monteath
*****
Here's a version sent by Patsy Watkins whose grandmother was Scottish:
Three craws sittin on a wa
Sittin on a wa
Sittin on a wa
Three craws sittin on a wa
Earlie in the morning.
The first craw it flaw awa
It flaw awa
It flaw awa
The first craw it flaw awa
Earlie in the morning.
The second craw flaw awa an aw
Flaw awa and aw
Flaw awa an aw
The second craw flaw awa an aw
Earlie in the morning.
The third craw couldna flaw at aw
Couldna flaw at aw
Couldna flaw at aw
The third craw couldna flaw at aw
Earlie in the morning.
The fourth craw was'ne there at aw.
***
Here is a version by Ewan McVicar that you'll find in one of the YouTube videos below. The last line showed up some 20 years ago.
Three craws sat upon a waa (Three craws sat upon a wall)
sat upon a waa
sat upon a waa-a-a-aa
Three craws sat upon a waa on a cal an frosty mornin' (… on a cold and frosty morning)
The first craw cudna flee ata… (The first craw could not flee at all)
The second craw wis greetin fur is maw… (The second craw was crying for his mom)
The third craw fell an broke its jaw… (The third craw fell and broke its jaw)
The fourth craw wisny there at a…. (The fourth craw wasn't there at all)
Comments
Shona wrote, "I am from Aberdeen, in the north-east of Scotland and was amazed to find Ali Bali on your list! My mum sang it to me as a child, her mum sang it to her as a child and I now sing it to my own child! The claim to its origins is very interesting as my mum was told as a child a similar story but the place was Aberdeen not Peebles. As the poster from Peebles has actual names to go with the story though, I think she wins!"
Thanks!
Thanks!
Thanks!
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Shona Docherty for contributing and translating this song. Thanks to Linna Monteath and Patsy Watkins for the alternate versions.
Thanks so much!
