fairy jacket

[asakiyume]

I found a fairy jacket, hanging on a bush, and thought of "Scarborough Fair."



Tell her to make me a cambric shirt,
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme;
Sewn without seams or fine needlework,
If she would be a true love of mine.

Tell her to wash it in yonder well,
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme;
Where never spring water or rain ever fell,
And she shall be a true lover of mine.

Tell her to dry it on yonder thorn,
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme;
Which never bore blossom since Adam was born,
Then she shall be a true lover of mine.

Comments

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

I heard the song first from Simon & Garfunkel and untangled the actual Scarborough Fair lyrics later, when I got all crazily into Celtic fairy lore.

I thought they were saying "camberick"--when I found out the word was "cambric" I lost some gruntle. They were definitely making it three syllables.

I also thought they said "Tell her to leave it in a sickle-bells ablazing in scarlet gartalion."

I recognized that I was hearing a smooshing of songs, but I still imagined a bush with bells in the shape of sickles, and scarlet leaves, all the while wondering what, exactly, gartalion was.

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Mmm, gartalion. Under the heraldic spelling - Gartalyan - it is the emblem of the House of the Fallen Heart. Also, of course, the seed-heads yield an oil that makes one part in five of the Perfume of All Desire. Lovesick swains wear its blossoms secretly in pouches next their heart on May Day and for a sennight thereafter: not that this will in any way influence their luck in love, it's just a helpless gesture, a private and intimate confession.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

♥ ♥ ♥

This is now my truth forever.