Trad Tuesday: The White Hare by Seth Lakeman

Seth Lakeman is an English folk singer and musician. He writes most of his own songs and The White Hare is no exception. It is written and performed in a traditional way of a song telling a story.

It is the legend of a witch on Dartmoor. She transforms into the figure of a white hare. When she is looked upon by a man, she transforms back into a person and the man will instantly fall in love with her. He will then go mad with obsession and love for the witch until the day he dies.

Lyrics:

I heard her in the valley, 
I heard her in the dead of night
The warning of a white hare 
Her eyes burning bright.

Careful you don't catch her 
Or give her right of way. 
For she will look upon you
Steal your soul away

For the white hare is calling
She's dancing in the night 
And she'll be out 'til the morning light

Out upon the heather 
A shadow came onto me 
Her hair was hanging over 
Her face I could not see

She ran behind the rocks
I heard the hounds cry 
The image of a woman 
Her head she held up high

For the white hare is calling
She's dancing in the night
She'll be out 'til the morning 
With her eyes burning bright 
The white hare is calling you

If you go hunting 
Or calling out your prey 
Or if you see a fair maid
With hair an ashen grey

Careful you don't catch her 
Or give her right of way 
For she will look upon you
Steal your soul away

For the white hare is calling
She's dancing in the night 
She'll be out 'til the morning 
With her eyes burning bright 
The white hare is calling you