The Yew song, written by Anna Richardson to an old English folk tune ('The Three Ravens'). Sung here by Anna Richardson and Jack Durtnall in the woods by a Spring.

The words and sheet music of this song are published in 'The Children's Forest' book by Anna Richardson, Dawn Casey, and Helen d'Ascoli,  available through Hawthorn Press publishers (2020).

For the wider Children's Forest Project and to find out more, please visit our website: https://www.childrensforests.org

Yew Song

Written by Jack Durtnall, Performed by Jack Durtnall and Mara Lane in the Ashdown Forest, Spring Equinox 2021.

Lyrics:

Chorus:

The prickle nut tree with Chestnuts sweet,
And leaves to cleanse from your head to your feet,
In coppice or in woods it’s there you’ll see,
Us pay our respects to the prickle nut tree.

In Spring white sprays, a derry-diddle-dee,
The cream-white flowers of the Chestnut tree,
Will bloom and blossom from branch and bough,
Strong scent of the spring hanging all around.

Chorus...

In Summer your leaves, a derry-diddle-dee,
Sweet medicine of the chestnut tree,
Will clean and cleanse in salve and balm,
To soothe a wound and protect from harm.

Chorus...

In Autumn ripe, a derry-diddle-dee,
Sweet nuts fall from the Chestnut tree,
In prickly purses plump and round,
Sweet Chestnuts lie on the leafy ground.

Chorus...

In Winter bare, a derry-diddle-dee,
With the soft brown bark of the Chestnut tree,
We’ll kindle a fire of Chestnut boughs,
So hot and bright to dance around!

Chorus...

Sweetchestnut Song

Written by Jack Durtnall, Performed by Mara Lane and Jack Durtnall, Spring Equinox 2021 in the Ashdown Forest.

Lyrics:

Birch of silver, white boughs shining,
Purple buds and sweet sap clear,
Bark and twigs bring fire’s bright kindling,
New life springs where you appear.

Chorus:

Sing and sway, merry Beith, in the moonlight dancing, 
Merry Beith rustle in the light of day,
Sing and sway, merry Beith, in the moonlight dancing, 
Merry Beith rustle in the light of day.

Birch of silver greenly shimmering,
Scents of incense in your leaves,
Goldfinch charms the air around you,
White stag pacing at your feet.

Chorus...

Birch of silver broomstick sweeping,
Tending earth to health renewed,
White canoe and bark pot glimmering,
Bearing life to spring anew.

Silver Birch Song (Merry Beith) - Grandmother

Written by Anna Richardson, Performed by Anna Richardson, Jen Beaufoy and Jack Durtnall by a stream near the Ashdown Forest.

Lyrics:

Hawthorn green,
Tender in spring time,
Fresh young leaves.

Hawthorn white,
Flowers of May light,
Dance of love,

Hawthorn red,
Generous berries,
Tree of heart.

Hawthorn bare,
Sleeping in winter,
Fairies dream.

The words and sheet music of this song are published in 'The Children's Forest' book by Anna Richardson, Dawn Casey, and Helen d'Ascoli, available through Hawthorn Press publishers (2020).

For the wider Children's Forest Project and to find out more, please visit our website: www.childrensforests.org

Hawthorn Song

Summer Is A Comin  In

Fire Song

Daisy

Beech Tree Song
By Dawn Casey and River Jones

Beech heart
Shining gold
Strong and wise
Mother old

Beech roots
Deep deep down 
Anchoring sunshine and crown

Beech arms
Spreading wide
Shelter little ones
Inside

Beech leaves
Dappled green
Shade and light
In harmony

Beech skin
Smooth and scarred
Graceful beauty
Never marred

Beech Queen
Matriarch
Power and grace
In our hearts

Beech

Nettle Song

Hazel Song

Chorus:
Hazel Hazel merry little fellow
Flowers red and catkins yellow
In summer dance in your cap of green
Show me the source of the hidden stream

Verses
Make me a fence for my sheep said he
So I went to the forest to find the tree
There he stood in his cloak of green
Supple and lithe, the hazel lean.

Fetch me some nuts for my Yuletide store
So I went to search on the forest floor
A feast of nuts lay on the ground
And there stood Hazel in his autumn gown.

Show me the secrets within the land,
So he took me dancing by my two hands,
The bright path sang and shone out to me,
All that is lost shall be found said he.

Hazel

Birch Song

St Johns Wort Song

Rose Song

Elder Mother

Blessings Of Light

Lyrics:

Chorus:
Willow dream with your roots in the water,
Willow dance with your head in the sky,
Graceful and green, you're the Forest Man's daughter,
Grow the green Willow, green Willow.

Verse 1:
Down by the brook with her feet in the water,
Stands the green Willow, green Willow.
And she dances and sways in the heart of the wind, so,
Grow the green willow, green willow.

Verse 2:
We'll dance round that willow that grows by the water,
Dance in the wind and the sky, oh,
Oh we'll dance in the water with never a care, oh,
Round the green Willow, green Willow.

Verse 3:
Through the whispering leaves in the silver moonlight,
The song of the river is calling,
The song of your heart knows the dream you must follow,
Whispers the Willow, green Willow.

Willow Song

My Lady Spring

Dandelion

Celandine

Alder Song

Whitebeam (Colin Godman's May '21)

European Vernal Sweet Grass (Colin Godman's May '21)

Jim Hindle Children's Forest Poem (Colin Godman's May '21)

Hazel (Colin Godman's May '21)

Bel and the Bluebells Story (Colin Godman's May '21)

A Hornbeam song by Jen Beaufoy, sung by Jen and Jack

Hornbeam

Pine

The Oak song, by Anna Richardson, River Jones, Oran Ash. Sung here by Anna Richardson and Jack Durtnall.

Lyrics:

Chorus:
Oak, Oak, Oak of old,
King of trees in your crown of gold,
You are the door to worlds unseen,
In winter bare and in summer green.

Verses:
From gold to green and green once more,
Your leaves will turn before they fall,
When twice you’ve worn your golden crown,
Each season’s harvest comes tumbling down.

And when you wear your Autumn crown,
Blue-feathered Jay from your branches sounds,
From cradles high your acorns fall,
So young may grow or to nourish all.

Five hundred years to grow and thrive,
Five hundred more to remain alive,
Shelter for all throughout your reign,
And many thousand lives sustain.

When dark clouds roll across the sky,
When thunder roars and storm winds cry,
All must beware you mighty Oak,
For you may court the lightning stroke.

Your roots grow deep your heart so strong,
Power of the sun to you belongs,
Generous to all as King you stand,
In strength and peace you guard this land.

The words and sheet music of this song are published in 'The Children's Forest' book by Anna Richardson, Dawn Casey, and Helen d'Ascoli,  available through Hawthorn Press publishers (2020).

For the wider Children's Forest Project and to find out more, please visit our website: https://www.childrensforests.org

Oak Song

A song for the Waters and Springs, written by Anna Richardson. Sung here by Anna Richardson and Jack Durtnall in the woods by a Spring.

The words and sheet music of this song are published in 'The Children's Forest' book by Anna Richardson, Dawn Casey, and Helen d'Ascoli,  available through Hawthorn Press publishers (2020).

For the wider Children's Forest Project and to find out more, please visit our website: https://www.childrensforests.org

The Children's Forest - Song Forest

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