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The Nightingale

from Spreading Rings by Anne Lister

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about

Based on a medieval French lai by Marie de France, writing somewhere in Britain or France sometime in the 12th century, probably. And she heard the story somewhere else. Adultery, passion and murder all in miniature.

lyrics

The Breton minstrels sing this song. The name they call it is Laustic
Frenchmen call it the Rossignol, but Nightingale's the name for you and me.

There were two merchants in a town. One was single and one had a wife.
The single man loved the woman so. She loved him dearer than she loved her life.

They lived in houses side by side, separated by a big high wall
The only contact that the lovers had was standing on the balconies and that was all.

The only contact that the lovers had was listening to the sweet nightingale
That every evening would sing his song. The notes echoed over hill and dale.

Can you hear the nightingale sing? Can you hear the nightingale's song?
Can you hear the nightingale sing and watch him as he flies?

So the summer evenings they went past, and the winter evenings went on by
Till one night the husband woke and found his wife staring at the evening sky.

He said "My love, what are you doing there? What causes you to stray from my bed?"
"I'm listening to the sweet nightingale. It gives me pleasure." is all she said.

The husband was a jealous man. He caused his huntsmen to set traps.
And they set snares and they set cages to catch the tiny little nightingale.

He took the little bird to his wife, a trembling body still warm in his hand
Took the bird and he broke its neck. Threw her the body so she'd understand.

She sent the little bird to her love. Wrote a letter to tell him the tale
How a husband's jealous heart couldn't stand a tiny little nightingale.

He built a casket of ebony, all inlaid with jewels rare.
Laid the little bird there to rest, and carries it with him now everywhere.

credits

from Spreading Rings, released April 30, 2020
Anne - voice and guitar
Engineered by Liv Elliott.

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Anne Lister Wales, UK

Anne is best known for her song "Icarus", recorded and performed by a number of different singers, including Martin Simpson and Nic Jones. "Astrolabe" is her ninth solo album.

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