Lammastide Lyrics

(Suddenly villagers arrive. They are processing to the church with the fruits of the harvest. There is cider-drinking and dancing. Walter Hartright, Laura and Marian get immediately caught up in the festivities)

All:

Ripe golden fields and the
Bounty the bring
Reason enough for to dance and to sing
Dance for who knows if we'll live till its spring
Sing
For it's Lammastide


(A young girl goes up to Laura and gives her a corn dolly)

All:

Winds of the winter
As sharp as a thorn
Soon will assault us
As sure as we're born

Girl:

Who will protect us?
A doll made of corn

All

Dance!
For it's Lammastide

Men:

Please spend the season
Pressed in my arms
Rest in my arms

Women:

Merrily, merrily

We'll end the season
Wrapped in your arms

Men:

Trapped in your arms

Women:

Verily, verily

All:

Ripe golden fields and the
Bounty they bring
Reason enough for to dance and to sing
Dance for who knows if we'll live till it's spring
Sing
For it's Lammastide

Men:

Please end the season
Pressed in my arms
Blessed in my arms

Women:

Verily, verily
Although we may protest in your arms
We'll nest in your arms

All:

Merrily, merrily

After we harvest the fruits of the earth
Time for the home and a moment of mirth

Men:

Time for a dance

Women:

And the chance of rebirth

All:

Sing
For it's Lammastide

Ripe golden fields and the bounty they bring
Reason enough for to dance and to sing
Dance for who knows if we'll live till it's spring
Sing
For it's Lammastide!
Dance
For it's Lammastide!
Sing
For it's Lammastide!

(At the end of the song, we see the same young girl being excluded from the festivities. Her mother scolds her and she does not enter the church with the others)

Mother:

(to little girl) You'll wait outside till you see sense my girl