Friday, January 27, 2012

Fairy Tale Friday: The Crane Wife


I'd never heard this story before, so when my friend Duckie suggested it, I was stumped. It sounded good, though, and Duckie knows what's down, so. 

Google to the rescue. 

But apparently there are many versions of it? After a little bit of wading through various lengths and details I found a relatively good abstract here and is brought to life by the Decemberists in a three-part set of songs. These are the lyrics, but for sure go read the story somewhere too:


The Crane Wife 1, 2 and 3 – The Decemberists

1: It was a cold night / And the snow lay low
I pulled my coat tight / Against it falling down
And the sun was all / And the sun was all down
I am a poor man /I haven't wealth nor fame
I have my two hands / And a house to my name
And the winter's so / And the winter's so long
And all the stars were crashing 'round / As I laid eyes on what I'd found
It was a white crane / It was a helpless thing
Upon a red stain / With and arrow in its wing
And it called and cried / And it called and cried so
And all the stars were crashing 'round / As I laid eyes on what I'd found
My crane wife, my crane wife / My crane wife, my crane wife
Now I helped her / And now I dressed her wounds
And how I held her / Beneath the rising moon
And she stood to fly / And she stood to fly away

2: My crane wife / Arrived at my door in the moonlight
All starbright and tongue-tied / I took her in
We were married / And bells rang sweet for our wedding
And our bedding was ready / We fell in
Sound the keening bell / And see it's painted red
Soft as fontanelle / The feathers in the thread
And all I ever meant / To do was to keep you
My crane wife, my crane wife / My crane wife
We were poorly / Our fortunes fading hourly
And how she loved me / She could bring it back
But I was greedy / I was vain and I forced her to weaving
On a cold loom in a closed room / Down hall
Sound the keening bell / And see it's painted red
Soft as fontanelle / The feathers in the thread
And all I ever meant / To do was to keep you
My crane wife, my crane wife / My crane wife
There's a bend in the wind / And it rakes at my heart
There is blood in the thread / And it rakes at my heart

3: And under the boughs unbound / All clothed in a snowy shroud
She had no heart so hardened / All under the boughs unbound
Each feather it fell from skin / 'Til threadbare, she grew thin
How were my eyes so blinded? / Each feather it fell from skin
A grey sky, a bitter sting / A raincloud, a crane on wing
All out beyond horizon, oh / A grey sky, a bitter sting
And I will hang my head, hang my head low
And I will hang my head, hang my head low

 


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Moment of Magic today:

It's Friday. Need I say more? Have a happy weekend and thanks for coming around to read my blog.


2 comments:

  1. A+ material, it came out great! I had also not seen that video of the recording. It never ceases to amaze me what an excellent band they are. The story of The Crane Wife always gets my tear ducts active. Thanks for representing it, Sis!

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    Replies
    1. No, thanks to you for suggesting it. It didn't turn out as good as in my head (I think perfect isn't really ever possible, sigh) but.

      I knew if I tried to write my own version it would come out flat, considering how much time I have available to do it. So I drew a picture instead, slapped that on top, and hid behind Colin Meloy who'd already put a lot more energy into the story than I could at this point :)

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