Kept by order of the Parish · County of Moorshire

The Mournhowe Register

Being a true account of the old neighbours of these islands,
their licences, their trades, and their trespasses.

Printed for the Archive · Sold at the sign of the Black Dog · Price Two Pence
The Ballad Sheet · kept separately

The Mari Lwyd at the Door

a contest sung at the threshold, taken down at Moorshire, the old year out.

Without Open your door, the night is thin, a horse's skull would come within. We've walked the lanes since Christmas fell, and know your names, and wish you well. Within The night is thin, the latch is tight, we keep no room for skulls tonight. Sing us a verse we cannot best, or take your bones back to their rest. Without Your beer is flat, your fire is low, your wife has told the whole row so. Rhyme against that, if rhyme you can — we had it, sir, from your own man. Within Our beer is flat, we'll grant you true, but flat beer's better shared with you than kept from one who rhymes so fair. Come in, come in — and mind the chair.

The Register notes: the door was opened, as the door is always, in the end, opened. The Mari drank, and rhymed, and left before cockcrow, and the skull was buried in lime till next year's asking.

← The whole Ballad Sheet