[Verse 1]
Come, I will sing you
Green grow the rushes, oh
I'll sing you one, oh
Down among the rushes, oh
One of them was all alone
Evermore will be, oh
[Verse 2]
Come, I will sing you
Green grow the rushes, oh
I'll sing you two, oh
Down among the rushes, oh
Two of them were lily babes
Dressed all in green, oh
Two of them were lily babes
Dressed all in green, oh
[Verse 3]
Come, I will sing you
Green grow the rushes, oh
I'll sing you three, oh
Down among the rushes, oh
Three of them were strangers
Come to see the babe, oh
Three of them were strangers
Come to see the babe, oh
[Verse 4]
Come, I will sing you
Green grow the rushes, oh
I'll sing you four, oh
Down among the rushes, oh
Four, the four evangelists
Down among the green, oh
Four, the four evangelists
Down among the green, oh
[Verse 5]
Come, I will sing you
Green grow the rushes, oh
I'll sing you five, oh
Down among the rushes, oh
Five, the ferryman in the boat
Sailing on the sea, oh
Five, the ferryman in the boat
Sailing on the sea, oh
[Accordion Solo]
[Verse 6]
Come, I will sing you
Green grow the rushes, oh
I'll sing you six, oh
Down among the rushes, oh
Six, the gospel preacher
Stories all to tell, oh
Six, the gospel preacher
Stories all to tell, oh
[Verse 7]
Come, I will sing you
Green grow the rushes, oh
I'll sing you seven, oh
Down among the rushes, oh
Seven, the stars all in the sky
Shining there above, oh
Seven, the stars all in the sky
Shining there above, oh
[Verse 8]
Come, I will sing you
Green grow the rushes, oh
I'll sing you eight, oh
Down among the rushes, oh
Eight is for the morning break
When all the world's awake, oh
Eight is for the morning break
When all the world's awake, oh
[Verse 9]
Come, I will sing you
Green grow the rushes, oh
I'll sing you nine, oh
Down among the rushes, oh
Nine is for the dilly bird
Never seen but heard, oh
Nine is for the dilly bird
Never seen but heard, oh
[Verse 10]
Come, I will sing you
Green grow the rushes, oh
I'll sing you ten, oh
Down among the rushes, oh
Ten the hand of kindness
Ten begins again, oh
Ten the hand of kindness
Ten begins again, oh
(Alternative, the ten commandments)
(Additional verses would be
[Verse 11] Come, I will sing you
Green grow the rushes, oh
I'll sing you leven, oh
Down among the rushes, oh
Leven the leven that went to heaven, etc
[Verse 12] Come, I will sing you
Green grow the rushes, oh
I'll sing you twelve, oh
Down among the rushes, oh
Twelve the twelve apostles, etc)
Notes
The seven are probably the Seven Sisters, the Pleiades star cluster. Other options include Ursa Major or the seven traditional planets. Alternatively, they could be the seven stars of Revelation 1:16, which are held in the right hand of Christ and explained as referring to the seven angels of seven of the early Christian churches.
The six are alternatively the six proud walkers or waters, a reference to the six jars of water that Jesus turned into wine at the wedding feast at Cana of Galilee, (John 2:6. )Or it may refer to Ezekiel 9:2 where six men with swords come in a vision of the prophet to slaughter the people, whose leaders (8:16) have committed such sins as turning East to worship the Sun, and "have filled the land with violence"
The four evangelists are Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
The three strangers are the three Magi of the Nativity.
The two lily babes are traditionally John the Baptist and Jesus, both said to be born without original sin, making them the lily-white boys. It may refer to the story of the Transfiguration where Moses and Elijah appear with Jesus in clothes of 'dazzling white'. Others suggest the Gemini twins.
This first verse originally referred to God.
