FLIGHT THROUGH ASHDOWN FOREST
Jump across the river stones
Catch the silver fish–
From your pocket throw the stolen bones
To make your final wish!
Summon all young maidens
To the sides of noble men
At Bloody Bolebroke Castle -
The King said once again
Hide inside the thickets
Tho thorns tear at your feet –
By the gate of golden crickets
Is where the two roads meet
Come hither all young maidens
To the house of noble men
At Bloody Bolebroke Castle -
The King said once again
Go by smoky cûs fordh where
The fox hides from the hound–
Down the cold hidden lane
By the wintry dour downs
Stitch up all young maidens
To the skin of noble men
At Bloody Bolebroke Castle -
The King said once again
With your cloaks a’torn and muddied
Past the burning Tan Caer Lake,
Find the mossy, cut-stone cottage
Where the kindly crone now waits
Flay the flying maidens
With the swords of noble men
At Bloody Bolebroke Castle!
The King said once again
By the broken garden gate
Find the path laid by Naw Meyn
That, under sleeping apple-wood,
Winds to mist-veiled Avalon
Taken are our maidens
By the fairies, noble men;
Bolebroke’s but a boudshi!
The King said once again
Notes:
From Celtic Cornish Places Names (http://cornish-place-names.wikidot.com/jago-celtic)
Boudshi. A cow-house.
Naw meyn. The nine stones: from naw, nine, meyn, stones.
Tan caer Lake. The fire castle lake: from tan, fire, caer, a castle
Cûs fordh. The way by the wood: from cûs, wood, fordh, a way.
Bolebroke Castle is the name of Henry VIII’s hunting lodge where he courted (and hunted) his second wife Ann Boleyn
