The Wife of Ushers Well

There lived a wife in Usher's Well
A wealthy wife was she
She had three stout and stalwart sons
And sent them o'er the sea

They had not been from Usher's Well
A week but barely one
When word came to this carline wife
That her three sons were gone

"I wish the wind may never, never cease
Nor flashes in the flood
Till my three sons return to me
In earthly flesh and blood
Earthly flesh and blood."

It fell about the Martinmas
The nights were long and dark
Three sons came home to Usher's Well
Their hats were made of bark

That neither grew in forest green
Nor on any wooded rise
But from the north side of the tree
That grows in Paradise

"Blow up the fire, my merry, merry maidens
Bring water from the well
For all my house shall feast this night
Since my three sons are well."

Then up and crowed the blood red cock
And up and crowed the grey
The oldest to the youngest said
"It's time we were away—

"For the cock does crow and the day doth show
And the channering worm doth chide
And we must go from Usher's Well
To the gates of Paradise."

"I wish the wind may never, never cease
Nor flashes in the flood
Till my three sons return to me
In earthly flesh and blood
Earthly flesh and blood."