HERE WE COME
A-WASSAILING

Traditional

This is a wassailing song - a tradition of singing door to door, or to apple trees in midwinter to encourage them to fruit well the following year. Often people pour cider on the roots of the tree whilst singing. It’s usually done around 6th January.

Here we come a-wassailing among the leaves so green,
Here we come a-wandering so fairly to be seen,
Now it’s winter-time strangers travel far and near,
And we wish you, send you a happy New Year.

Bud and blossom, bud and blossom,
bud and bloom and bear,
So we may have plenty of cider all next year;
Hatfuls and in capfuls and in bushel bags and all,
And the cider running out of every gutter all.

Down there in the muddy lane there sits an old red fox,
Starving and a-shivering and licking his old chops;
Bring us out your table and spread it if you please,
And give us hungry wassailers a bit of bread and cheese.

I’ve got a little purse and it’s made of leather skin,
A little silver sixpence it would line it well within;
Now it’s winter-time; strangers travel far and near,
And we wish you, send you a happy New Year.