The Enchanted White Duck

X:108
T:The Enchanted White Duck
R:song
B:Joyce, P. W.; "Old Irish Folk Music and Songs"
H:  A little boy is changed by draoidheacht or enchantment into a white duck,
H:and in this disguise he is killed and eaten by his own family.  Our servant
H:Biddy Hickey used to tell the whole story, sometimes reciting, sometimes
H:singing, sometimes chanting in a monotone: but it has all faded from my
H:memory except the following weird little fragment with its tune, which took
H:strong hold of my childhood fancy.
H:  The English folk-tale called "The Story of Orange" (for which see "Journ.
H:of the Folk-Song Soc.", Vol. II, p. 295) corresponds with this, and some
H:versions of the words come very close to the verse I give here.  But there
H:is nothing in the English air that in the least resembles our Irish tune.
W:My mamma cut me and put me in the pot;
W:My dada said I was purty and fat;
W:My three little sisters they picked my small bones
W:And buried them under the marble stones.
L:1/8
M:6/8
K:Bb
G/A/|B3 G A F|D G G G2 G/A/|B3 A G F|D F F F2 D|
G G A B B c|d e d d2 c|B A G D =E F|G2 G G2||

Alternative sources for this tune:

• trillian.mit.edu/~jc/music/abc/mirror/LesterBailey/melnets_big_abc_file/13183
• trillian.mit.edu/~jc/music/abc/mirror/OTIS_Irish_Session/melnets_big_abc_file/13183
• trillian.mit.edu/~jc/music/abc/mirror/kirby98.fsnet.co.uk/en/Enchanted_White_Duck_1/0000
• trillian.mit.edu/~jc/music/abc/mirror/melnets_big_abc_file/13183
• trillian.mit.edu/~jc/music/abc/mirror/melodeon.net/melnets_big_abc_file/13183

Visitors to this tune page also viewed:

Poll Ha'Penny

Up Jumped Jinny with Her Shirt Tail Torn

The Kilfenora