Little Sir William (Volkslieder (Folksongs), set by B. Britten) (The Lied and Art Song Texts Page: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)


 Easter day was a holiday
 Of all the days in the year,
 And all the little schoolfellows
 Went out to play
 But Sir William was not there.

 Mamma went to the School Wife House
 And knocked at the ring,
 Saying, "Little Sir William
 if you are there,
 Pray let your mother in."

 The School Wife open'd the door
 And said "He is not here today.
 He is with the little schoolfellows
 Out on the green
 Playing some pretty play."

 Mamma went to the Boyne water
 That is so wide and deep, saying,
 Little Sir William if you are there,
 Oh pity your mother's weep."

 "How can I pity your weep, mother
 And I so long in pain?
 For the little penknife
 Sticks close to my heart
 And the School Wife hath me slain.

 Go home, go home my mother dear,
 And prepare my winding sheet,
 For tomorrow morning before eight o'clock,
 You with my body shall meet.

 And lay my prayer book at my head,
 And my grammar at my feet,
 That all the little schoolfellows
 as they pass by
 May read them for my sake."

Authorship

Volkslieder (Folksongs)

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

(Edward) Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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