Newlyn Card

Old Cornwall Christmas Cards

22. Newlyn Card

Nadelik Lowen

Christmas Customs At Newlyn

By J Kelynack, Old Cornwall Jornal Vol. 5 No. 10

As far back as I can remember, I with all the other members of our family had a special bun, made in the shape of a bird, to eat on Christmas Eve. My mother and her brothers, and their parents, uncles and aunts had always done the same. My great-grandparents, when the Christmas saffron cake was being made, used to pick out pieces of the dough, make them into this bird-shape and bake them. Then each member of the family were given one and the Dilly Carol was sung. My sister gave such Christmas buns to her children and my niece, who live with me says, "Yes I remember the lovely bird".

Note from "Canow Kernow" published by the Federation of Old Cornwall Societies 1966.

" It is impossible here even to summarise all that has been written about the Dily Song or to compare its many versions. It seems to have pagan as well as Christian roots, in the mysterious Dilly Bird, the twins who may be Castor and Pollux, and the Ferryman who may be Charon (though Mr Piggott thinks the reference here is to a Cornish game). These generally stand side by side with the Three Magi (strangers), Four Evangalists and Twelve Apostles. The Eleven are said to refer to the eleven thousand virgins who set sail for France with St Ursula, a legendary Cornish Princess, and were massacred by the Huns at Cologne where adverse winds had driven them.

It has been suggested that the song was an early form of catechism, perhaps druidical in origin, that has become adapted by the early Christians and spread throughout Europe possibly be Celtic Misionaries. There are versions in Breton, French, German, Flemish, Hebrew, Greek and Latin.

The Dilly Carol

"Come and I will sing you."
"What will you sing me?
"I will sing you ONE, O,"
"What is your ONE, O?"

One of them was all alone,
Ever will remain so.

"Come and I will sing you."
"What will you sing me?
"I will sing you TWO, O,"
"What is your TWO, O?"

Two of them were lily-white babes,
Clothed all in green, O
One of them was all alone,
Ever will remain so.

"Come and I will sing you."
"What will you sing me?
"I will sing you THREE, O,"
"What is your THREE, O?"

Three of them were strangers,
Two of them were lily-white babes,
Clothed all in green, O
One of them was all alone,
Ever will remain so.

"Come and I will sing you."
"What will you sing me?
"I will sing you FOUR, O,"
"What is your FOUR, O?"

Four, the four Evangelists,
Three of them were strangers,
Two of them were lily-white babes,
Clothed all in green, O
One of them was all alone,
Ever will remain so.

"Come and I will sing you."
"What will you sing me?
"I will sing you FIVE, O,"
"What is your FIVE, O?"

Five, the Ferryman in the boat
Four, the four Evangelists,
Three of them were strangers,
Two of them were lily-white babes,
Clothed all in green, O
One of them was all alone,
Ever will remain so.

"Come and I will sing you."
"What will you sing me?
"I will sing you SIX, O,"
"What is your SIX, O?"

Six, the Gospel Preacher,
Five, the Ferryman in the boat
Four, the four Evangelists,
Three of them were strangers,
Two of them were lily-white babes,
Clothed all in green, O
One of them was all alone,
Ever will remain so.

"Come and I will sing you."
"What will you sing me?
"I will sing you SEVEN, O,"
"What is your SEVEN, O?"

Seven, the seven stars in the sky,
Six, the Gospel Preacher,
Five, the Ferryman in the boat
Four, the four Evangelists,
Three of them were strangers,
Two of them were lily-white babes,
Clothed all in green, O
One of them was all alone,
Ever will remain so.

"Come and I will sing you."
"What will you sing me?
"I will sing you EIGHT, O,"
"What is your EIGHT, O?"

Eight it is the Morning Break
When all the world's awake, O.
Seven, the seven stars in the sky,
Six, the Gospel Preacher,
Five, the Ferryman in the boat
Four, the four Evangelists,
Three of them were strangers,
Two of them were lily-white babes,
Clothed all in green, O
One of them was all alone,
Ever will remain so.

"Come and I will sing you."
"What will you sing me?
"I will sing you NINE, O,"
"What is your NINE, O?"

Nine, is the dilly Bird,
That's never seen but heard, O.
Eight it is the Morning Break
When all the world's awake, O.
Seven, the seven stars in the sky,
Six, the Gospel Preacher,
Five, the Ferryman in the boat
Four, the four Evangelists,
Three of them were strangers,
Two of them were lily-white babes,
Clothed all in green, O
One of them was all alone,
Ever will remain so.