Little Sir Hugh
Steeleye Span Lyrics


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Little Sir Hugh

Chorus:
Mother mother make my bed
Make for me a winding sheet
Wrap me up in a cloak of gold
See if I can sleep
Four and twenty bonny bonny boys playing at the hall
Along came little Sir Hugh, he played with them all
He kicked the ball very high, he kicked the ball so low,
He kicked it over a castle wall where no one dared to go

Out came a lady gay, she was dressed in green
"Come in, come in little Sir Hugh, fetch your ball again"
"I won't come in, I can't come in without my play mates all
For if I should I know you would cause my blood to fall"

Chorus

She took him by the milk white hand, led him to the hall
Till they came to a stone chamber where no one could hear him call
She sat him on a golden chair, she gave him sugar sweet
She lay him on a dressing board and stabbed him like a sheep

Out came the thick thick blood, out came the thin
Out came the bonny heart's blood till there was none within




She took him by the yellow hair and also by the feet
She threw him in the old draw well fifty fathoms deep

Overall Meaning

The song "Little Sir Hugh" by Steelye Span is a haunting tale of betrayal and murder. The lyrics describe a group of boys playing and having fun until Little Sir Hugh showed up and kicked the ball over a castle wall. When he went to retrieve it, he was lured into a stone chamber by a lady dressed in green who promised to return his ball. Once inside, she stabs him to death and throws him into an old draw well. The chorus is a chilling repetition of "Mother Mother make my bed. Make for me a winding sheet. Wrap me up in a cloak of gold. See if I can sleep."


The lyrics are based on a true story that took place in the 13th century. The victim was a young boy named Hugh of Lincoln, who was allegedly murdered by Jews in a ritualistic manner. The story became popular and was widely circulated, leading to a surge in anti-Semitic sentiments in England. The story was eventually debunked and attributed to baseless accusations made against the Jewish community.


The song is a powerful condemnation of the fear and prejudice that led to the persecution of Jewish people in England during the Middle Ages. The Lady in Green is portrayed as a murderer, rather than a member of a particular ethnic group, and the chorus represents the chilling aftermath of a tragic event. The song serves as a reminder of the importance of truth and the dangers of scapegoating and discrimination.


Line by Line Meaning

Chorus:
The singer wants their mother to make their bed and wrap them up in a cloak of gold to see if they can sleep.


Four and twenty bonny bonny boys playing at the hall
There were 24 boys having fun at the hall.


Along came little Sir Hugh, he played with them all
Little Sir Hugh joined the boys and played with them.


He kicked the ball very high, he kicked the ball so low,
Little Sir Hugh played with the ball by kicking it high and low.


He kicked it over a castle wall where no one dared to go
Little Sir Hugh kicked the ball over a castle wall where nobody went.


Out came a lady gay, she was dressed in green
A woman dressed in green came out.


"Come in, come in little Sir Hugh, fetch your ball again"
The woman invited little Sir Hugh to come in and get his ball.


"I won't come in, I can't come in without my play mates all
Little Sir Hugh refused to come in without his friends.


For if I should I know you would cause my blood to fall"
He believed that the lady would harm him if he went in.


Chorus
The artist repeats their desire for their mother to prepare their bed in gold.


She took him by the milk white hand, led him to the hall
The lady held Little Sir Hugh's hand and led him to the hall.


Till they came to a stone chamber where no one could hear him call
They went to a chamber where nobody could hear Little Sir Hugh if he called for help.


She sat him on a golden chair, she gave him sugar sweet
The lady placed Little Sir Hugh on a golden chair and gave him sweet candy.


She lay him on a dressing board and stabbed him like a sheep
The woman attacked Little Sir Hugh by stabbing him like a sheep.


Out came the thick thick blood, out came the thin
Blood came out of the wound in thick and thin streams.


Out came the bonny heart's blood till there was none within
Little Sir Hugh's heart also bled until there was nothing left.


She took him by the yellow hair and also by the feet
The lady then took Little Sir Hugh by his feet and yellow hair.


She threw him in the old draw well fifty fathoms deep
Finally, she threw him into a deep draw well.




Contributed by Parker Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Ben - Moderator


on Bonny Moorhen

Hi Stuart, We have corrected the description above.

Stuart Tartan


on Bonny Moorhen

The song Bonny Moorhen by Steeleye Span is a traditional Scottish ballad that tells the story of a bird, the Bonny Moorhen, and its journey through the glen and over the sea. The narrator of the song expresses affection and admiration for the bird and asks others to toast its health when they are out drinking. The Bonny Moorhen is described as having a rainbow of feathers, including blue, which is unusual for a bird, and invites it to come to the narrator. However, in the second verse, the song takes a darker turn as the narrator reveals that the bird has gone over the sea and will not return until the summer. But when it does return, only certain people will know, suggesting that not everyone will be happy about the Bonny Moorhen's return. The third verse introduces a new element to the story, two men named Ronald and Donald who are out on the fen, presumably trying to hunt or harm the bird. The narrator calls for the Bonny Moorhen to come to them for safety. Overall, the song is a mix of admiration for the beauty of nature and a warning about the dangers that can lurk in it. The Bonny Moorhen represents something pure and innocent, but there are those who would try to harm it, and the song is a call to protect it.

This description of the song completely misses the point in every way. It IS NOT about a bird.
It is an allegorical Jacobite-era song about Bonny Prince Charlie (the bonny moorhen). The colours mentioned, for instance, are the colours of the Clan Stuart tartan.

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