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
would wed my winding sheet
the tears my dear, mother shed for me
would wed my winding sheet
would wed my winding sheet