Lyrics

[ Original Song Cycle ] [ The Teaching Song ] [ Windwood ] [ Holly, Oak & Ivy ]

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Authors are listed if known.

Bonus Tracks

The Teaching Song
Sung by Lady Raven

I'll give you one, O!
Green grow the rushes, O!
And what is your one, O?
chorus up through 13

One is one and all alone and ever more shall be so
Two, two the two faced God, in gold and red and green, O!
Three, the triple Goddess
Four, for the guardian towers
Five, for the fiery points of iron
Six, for the book of Changes
Seven, for the portals between the worlds
Eight, for the eight great Sabbats
Nine, for the nine foot circle
Ten, for the Celtic reading
One and one, for the year king's reign
Twelve, for the heavenly augurs
Thirteen rounds of the silver wheel

Origin Unknown

Notes on the Teaching Song

This tune is very old, with the origins long lost in the mists of time.
There are many variations on the lyrics, from an old English
counting song with religious references to a bawdy Scottish tune about bedding the lassies by Robert Burns. There's a Nordic Pagan version, it's the title to a song by R.E.M. and to an old movie starring Richard Burton.

I was unable to find an attribution for the author who wrote this version.
The earliest mention on the web comes in this email from 1988