[Huan]

‘Now who is that?’ asked Rowan, leaning in close to Gil as Cook kicked up her heels. His explanation was short and spoken with a sense of affection. ‘Why that’s Cook,’ he told her, as if the one word should be more than enough explanation.

‘Interesting!’ thought Rowan to herself. ‘I think I will have to make sure to meet her.’

Tolly came up to her, from where he’d been talking to the other musicians. ‘I think we’ve worked out the tune. It’s a new one to Gil’s fellows.’ He nodded at Gil. ‘But the tune’s simple enough, and if we play it once through, I think you’ll have it. The sung versus are without accompaniment, and there are just short, quick bars of the chorus tune done between.’

He and Gil stepped back to where Gil’s companions were standing and did a soft run through. Then they turned back to the crowd in the room and did a longer version of the verse and chorus without the singing.

It was Rowan who stepped to the front of the stage, with Emlin singing a bass harmony. Her voice rang out clear and strong in the crowded room.


When I first came to town,
They called me the roving jewel;
Now they've changed their tune,
They call me Katy Cruel,
Oh, diddle, lully day,
Oh, de little lioday.

Oh that I was where I would be,
Then I would be where I am not,
Here I am where I must be,
Go where I would, I can not,
Oh, diddle, lully day,
Oh, de little lioday.

When I first came to town,
They brought me the bottles plenty;
Now they've changed their tune,
They bring me the bottles empty,
Oh, diddle, lully day,
Oh, de little lioday.

Oh that I was where I would be,
Then I would be where I am not,
Here I am where I must be,
Go where I would, I can not,
Oh, diddle, lully day,
Oh, de little lioday.

I know who I love,
And I know who does love me;
I know where I'm going,
And I know whose going with me,
Oh, diddle, lully day,
Oh, de little lioday.

Oh that I was where I would be,
Then I would be where I am not,
Here I am where I must be,
Go where I would, I can not,
Oh, diddle, lully day,
Oh, de little lioday.

Through the woods I go,
And through the bogs and mire,
Straightway down the road,
And to my heart's desire,
Oh, diddle, lully day,
Oh, de little lioday.

Oh that I was where I would be,
Then I would be where I am not,
Here I am where I must be,
Go where I would, I can not,
Oh, diddle, lully day,
Oh, de little lioday.

Eyes as bright as coal,
Lips as bright as cherry,
and 'tis her delight
To make the young girls merry,
Oh, diddle, lully day,
Oh, de little lioday.

Oh that I was where I would be,
Then I would be where I am not,
Here I am where I must be,
Go where I would, I can not,
Oh, diddle, lully day,
Oh, de little lioday.

When I first came to town
They called me the roving jewel
Now they've changed their tune
They call me Katy Cruel
Oh, diddle, lully day,
Oh, de little lioday.

For the very last chorus all joined in. Their voices swelled strongly about the room, overpowering the the small clusters of conversation, then stopped abruptly leaving silence.

Oh that I was where I would be,
Then I would be where I am not,
Here I am where I must be,
Go where I would, I can not,
Oh, diddle, lully day,
Oh, de little lioday.

Rowan, her eyes bright and cheeks flushed from singing, smiled impishly at those in the room and took a small bow.