Down The Moor
Tulca Mor Lyrics
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And fine and pleasant was the weather
I happened to roam some miles from home
Among the bonnie bloomin heather down the moor
In among the heather, o'er the moor
And through the heather
I spied a lass and a very bonny lass
Barefooted was she, she was comely dressed
And on her head neither cap nor feather
And the plaid hung neatly around her waist
As she tripped through the bloomin heather
Down the moor
In among the heather, o'er the moor
And through the heather
And the plaid hung neatly around her waist
As she tripped through the bloomin heather
Down the moor
I stepped up to this fair maid
"What is your name, come tell me hither"
And she answered me "down by the bonny Bann-side
And I'm herding all my ewes together down the moor"
In among the heather, o'er the moor
And through the heather
And she answered me "down by the bonny Bann-side
I'm herding all my ewes together down the moor"
I courted her the live-long day
My heart was light as any feather
Until the rays of the red setting sun came
Shining down in among the heather down the moor
In among the heather, o'er the moor
And through the heather
Until the rays of the red setting sun came
Shining down in among the heather down the moor
She said "young man, I must away
My ewes are straying from eachother.
But I'm as loath to part from you as the bonnie
Wee lambs are to part with their mother down the moor"
In among the heather, o'er the moor
And through the heather
Yes I'm as loath to part from you as the bonnie
Wee lambs are to part with their mother down the moor
So up she got and away she went
Her name and place I cannot gather
But if I was a king, I would make her a queen
The bonny lass I met among the heather
Down the moor
In among the heather, o'er the moor
And through the heather
But if I was aking, I would make her queen
The bonny lass I met among the heather
Down the moor
The song "Down the Moor" by Tulca Mor is a lovely ballad that tells the tale of a chance encounter between the singer and a beautiful young woman while he was wandering among the blooming heather down the moor. The opening lines set the scene during a beautiful day in May when the weather was fine, and the fields were gay. As he wanders through the heather, the singer catches a glimpse of a lass who is barefooted, wearing a plaid around her waist and scooping dew from among the heather. He is struck by her beauty and asks her name; she replies that she is herding her ewes down by the bonny Bann-side.
The rest of the song tells of the singer's courtship with the lass and his reluctance to part with her at the end of the day. The final lines leave things open-ended, with the singer admitting that he doesn't know her name or where she lives but if he were a king, he would make her his queen.
Line by Line Meaning
One morning in May when the fields were gay
Describing a beautiful May morning, setting the scene for the rest of the song.
And fine and pleasant was the weather
Further emphasizing the beauty and enjoyment of the weather on this May morning.
I happened to roam some miles from home
The singer is out exploring and enjoying the beautiful morning.
Among the bonnie bloomin heather down the moor
The artist is walking through a field of blooming heather in the moor, appreciating the beauty around them.
In among the heather, o'er the moor
Reiterating that the artist is among the heather, and that there is moorland surrounding them.
And through the heather
Further emphasizing the singer's journey through the heather.
I spied a lass and a very bonny lass
The singer sees a beautiful young woman.
She was scoopin dew fromamong the heather down the moor
The woman is collecting dew from the heather in the moor.
Barefooted was she, she was comely dressed
The woman is not wearing shoes, but is dressed beautifully.
And on her head neither cap nor feather
She is not wearing any accessories on her head.
And the plaid hung neatly around her waist
She is wearing a plaid wrapped around her waist.
As she tripped through the bloomin heather
The woman is light on her feet, walking through the blooming heather.
I stepped up to this fair maid
The singer approaches the woman.
"What is your name, come tell me hither"
The singer asks for the woman's name.
And she answered me "down by the bonny Bann-side
The woman tells the singer where she is from.
And I'm herding all my ewes together down the moor"
The woman is a shepherdess, gathering her sheep.
I courted her the live-long day
The artist spends the whole day courting the woman.
My heart was light as any feather
The singer is very happy and care-free in the woman's company.
Until the rays of the red setting sun came
The beautiful day is coming to an end as the sun sets.
Shining down in among the heather down the moor
The sun shines on the artist and the woman as they part ways.
She said "young man, I must away
The woman tells the artist she must leave.
My ewes are straying from eachother.
The woman needs to attend to her sheep.
But I'm as loath to part from you as the bonnie
The woman doesn't want to leave the singer's company.
Wee lambs are to part with their mother down the moor"
The woman compares her reluctance to part with the artist to baby lambs being separated from their mother.
So up she got and away she went
The woman leaves to tend to her sheep.
Her name and place I cannot gather
The singer doesn't know the woman's name or where she comes from.
But if I was a king, I would make her a queen
The singer thinks very highly of the woman, and would elevate her status if possible.
The bonny lass I met among the heather
The artist is reminiscing on the beautiful woman they met in the heather.
Contributed by Sadie I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.