The
Keeper
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Roe deer
Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons
This is an English folk song. It sounds very
jolly, but is an account of a hunt to kill a deer.
I am
unable to embed it, but it can be found here.
Jack is a
diminutive of John, and Jackie is an adaptation of Jack.
It is a call
and response song. The responses are shown in parentheses.
The keeper did a hunting go
And under his cloak he carried a bow
All for to shoot a merry little doe
Among the leaves so green, O.
(Chorus)
Jackie boy! (Master!) Sing ye well! (Very well!)
Hey down (Ho down) Derry derry down
Among the leaves so green, O
To my hey down down (To my ho down down)
Hey down (Ho down) Derry derry down
Among the leaves so green, O
The first doe he shot at he missed;
The second doe he trimmed he kissed;
The third doe went where nobody wist
Among the leaves so green, O.
The fourth doe she did cross the plain,
The keeper fetched her back again.
Where she is now, she may remain,
Among the leaves so green, O.
The fifth doe she did cross the brook;
The keeper fetched her back with his crook;
Where she is now you may go and look
Among the leaves so green, O.
The sixth doe she ran over the plain;
But he with his hounds did turn her again,
And it's there he did hunt in a merry, merry vein
Among the leaves so green, 0.
A cheery little ditty, about a not so cheery subject.
ReplyDeleteQuite.
DeleteMy first name means Deer in English, so I immediately indentify with beautiful deers and I loathe hunters who kill them.
ReplyDeleteKilling for sport is unacceptable.
DeleteA great hunting song. They're beautiful creatures but if they're not culled they become a nuisance. And the meat is delicious. Some of my family in NZ are deer hunters. Hunters with their stags make great photos.
ReplyDeleteThe population has to be controlled when there are no natural predators, or disease becomes rife.
DeleteI remember that song from our first English lessons at "big school", when I was 10 years old. Our teacher had us sing many English folk songs, to learn how to pronounce certain words as well as their meaning. Of course in class we sang the call and response bits divided into groups across the room.
ReplyDeleteFolk songs are an interesting way of teaching a foreign language - kudos to your teacher.
DeleteWe used to sing that... I loved being divided into two groups for the chorus. I never paid attention to the words back then.
ReplyDeletePart songs are always fun, and so are rounds.
DeleteIts cheerful melody really contrasts with the adventurous hunt it tells
ReplyDeleteRather like the fox-hunting song, 'D'ye ken John Peel?'
DeleteI am not familiar with this folk song, but your photo of the Roe Deer is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThey are beautiful deer and surprisingly small.
DeleteI've never heard this one before. It's rather sad thinking about all those poor deer
ReplyDeleteIt is.
DeleteI had not heard the ditty before. Deer (here it is White-tailed Deer) are becoming their own worst enemy as they strip every edible morsel of vegetation from their habitat, and starvation is the result. All of their natural predators have been removed by interfering humans and their growth is unchecked.
ReplyDeleteThey should be managed. People don't like the idea of culling them, but there's no other recourse when there are no natural predators.
ReplyDeleteExactly. Unfortunately, once humans have interfered, more interfering becomes necessary...
DeleteAnd deer, wild boars and hares have at least had a life in freedom and (usually) a quick death, unlike those millions and millions of poor creatures that are raised in mass stables under the most horrible conditions just so that humans can buy cheap meat in supermarkets.
I've not come across this folk-song.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful image for this post.
All the best Jan
It's a very singable song!
DeleteDeer, there's a subject matter for close to home. We have too many. I do understand many people who do not appreciate hunting. However, it can be necessary for a few good reasons.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Culling is essential.
DeleteI remember singing a version of this in primary school. Lovely illustration.
ReplyDeleteAlison in Devon x
It's a very jolly song.
DeleteI quit reading on the 3rd deer, knowing where it would go. I know they need culling but the hunters I know are sport hunters. we don't live in deer country so I don't have to see it.. I don't like sport killing of any kind including 200 lb fish
ReplyDeleteKilling for sport is unnecessary. Killing to eat is another matter entirely.
DeleteI remember singing the first verse and chorus at primary school but not the other verse. Many deer where we live in the South West of the UK, not always the farmers friends.
ReplyDeleteYou can understand how farmers and deer (and other furry creatures) are often at odds with each other.
ReplyDeleteFolk songs remind me of childhood, probably gone out of fashion. Is it 'part singing? They are saying that we have two million deer roaming the countryside atm and they may need culling. Hopefully it will be by experienced shooters.
ReplyDeleteIf they're not culled they will become a nuisance, diseased and starving.
DeleteI also remember singing some of this. Very nice photo.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to have travelled far and wide. 😊
DeleteIt seems to have travelled far and wide! 😀
DeleteLovely image of this beautiful deer. Interesting song too. You had us toe-tapping here. Hard to do I tell ya! LOL!
ReplyDeleteHa ha ha!
DeleteA very familiar song..... I can sing this all the way through! A leftover from my folk music days.
ReplyDeleteAww, lovely.
DeleteCatchy little tune.
ReplyDeleteIt is - easy to sing along to.
DeleteFun song! -Christine cmlk79.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteIt is, with a dark message.
DeleteFirst time I've heard that one.
ReplyDelete😀
DeleteI read about this on different websites and it appears that some folks elude to this being more than a catchy song for children...perhaps leaning more towards hunting more than deer. However, I think it's cute and the music was delightful.. thank you!!
ReplyDeleteIt's a folk song that has found its way into children's repertoire.
DeleteI had not heard this some before. It's very interesting
ReplyDeleteNot a jolly subject, really.
DeleteI have sung this before, at least the derry derry down bit but I didn't think or comprehend what it is about. Great tune if unpleasant words!
ReplyDeleteMany of the songs we sing as children are not as acceptable as adults.
DeleteI encounter deer almost every day and they eat my shrubs and my neighbours' too.
ReplyDeleteThey can be a great nuisance, I know.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI have never heard this one. Thank you for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure.
DeleteI know this song very well, in fact I started to sing along. But I never realized it was about the hunt. I must have ignored the verses. As a kid I had some idea it was set in Ireland! Because of the Derry bits.
ReplyDeleteRather like the John Peel song, it's darker than it appears at first.
DeleteOh, dear. 🦌
ReplyDeleteDeer dear!
ReplyDelete