There was a night and a lady bright

And three little babes had she

She sent them away

To a far country

To learn their grammery

They hadn't been gone

But a very short time

About three months and a day

When the lark's spread over this whole wild world

And take those babes away

It was on a cold cold Christmas night

When everything was still

And she saw her three little babes come runnin'

Come runnin' down their hill

She set them a table of bread and wine

That they might drink and eat

She spread them a bed of winding sheet

That they might sleep so sweet

Take it off take it off

Cried the eldest one

Take it off take it off cried she

For if she'd stay here in this wicked world

When there's a better world for me

Cold clogs cold clogs inside my bed

Cold clogs down in my feet

But tears my dear mother shed for me

Would wed my winding sheet

But tears my dear mother shed for me

Would wed my winding sheet

Would wed my winding sheet