Wæs Hāl, Apuldras - Wassail the Apple Trees

[Vocal Roles] Male chant: low, weathered, gruff, Anglo-Saxon accented, open-air ritual voice. Female choir: low earthy village women, mature voices, regional accents, raw outdoor communal singing, unpolished harmony. [Intro] [low male chant, distant female choir, frame drum] Wes hāl, apuldor wes hāl, eorþe wes hāl, rōt under hrīme [Verse 1] Æfter mete ēodon wē under cealdum mōnan mid lēohtum on handum tō þām ealdan apuldre Hrīm læg ofer lande wind sang on þām tūne cildru hlōgon stille þǣr þā bēamas stōdon [Pre-Chorus] Cumaþ nū, cumaþ nū tō þām apuldre stampeþ þā eorþan singaþ þām rōtum [Chorus] Wes hāl, apuldor wæcna of slǣpe drinc of þām cuppan gehȳr ūre sang Wes hāl, apuldor blōstma on lenctene ber swēte wæstm þonne sumor cymþ [Choir Response] Wes hāl, bēam wes hāl, rōt wes hāl, eorþe līf under snāwe [Verse 2] Hlāf wē hengon on bogum fuglum tō morgenne and æppelwīn gēoton niðer æt þām rōtum Se ealda bēam hlȳste mid meose on rinde and þæt folc swīgode þā se dream ongann [Pre-Chorus] Cnocaþ þā rinde hrīsaþ þā bogas āweccaþ þæt sæd þe slǣpþ on þȳstrum [Chorus] Wes hāl, apuldor wæcna of slǣpe drinc of þām cuppan gehȳr ūre sang Wes hāl, apuldor blōstma on lenctene ber swēte wæstm þonne sumor cymþ [Bridge] [quiet, bowed strings, breath-like choir] For þām hlāfe for þām wīne for þām æpplum on hærfest-tīde Wē bringaþ sang wē bringaþ fȳr wē bringaþ hlūdne dream tō þām slǣpendan bēame [Verse 3] Þā styrde sum þing upp on sweartum bogum ne wæs hit wind ne fugel on niht Þā ealdran cwǣdon þæt hit winter wǣre ac þā cildru wiston þæt se bēam andswarode [Final Chorus] Wes hāl, apuldor wæcna of slǣpe drinc of þām cuppan gehȳr ūre sang Wes hāl, apuldor blōstma on lenctene ber swēte wæstm þonne sumor cymþ [Final Choir] Wes hāl, bēam wes hāl, rōt wes hāl, eorþe līf under snāwe Wes hāl, bēam wes hāl, rōt wes hāl, eorþe līf under snāwe [Outro] Þā lēoht ferdon ofer hrīmes feld ac se gārd geheold ūre sang under rinde ----- English translation: [Intro] Be well, apple tree Be well, earth Be well, root beneath the frost [Verse 1] After the meal we went under the cold moon with lights in our hands to the old apple tree Frost lay over the land wind sang in the enclosure children laughed quietly where the trees stood [Pre-Chorus] Come now, come now to the apple tree stamp the earth sing to the roots [Chorus] Be well, apple tree wake from sleep drink from the cup hear our song Be well, apple tree blossom in spring bear sweet fruit when summer comes [Choir Response] Be well, tree be well, root be well, earth life beneath the snow [Verse 2] We hung bread in the branches for the birds at morning and poured apple-wine down at the roots The old tree listened with moss on its bark and the people fell silent when the music began [Pre-Chorus] Knock the bark shake the branches wake the seed that sleeps in darkness [Chorus] Be well, apple tree wake from sleep drink from the cup hear our song Be well, apple tree blossom in spring bear sweet fruit when summer comes [Bridge] [quiet, bowed strings, breath-like choir] For the bread for the wine for the apples at harvest-time We bring song we bring fire we bring loud music to the sleeping tree [Verse 3] Then something stirred up in the dark branches it was not wind nor bird in the night The elders said that it was winter but the children knew that the tree had answered [Final Chorus] Be well, apple tree wake from sleep drink from the cup hear our song Be well, apple tree blossom in spring bear sweet fruit when summer comes [Final Choir] Be well, tree be well, root be well, earth life beneath the snow Be well, tree be well, root be well, earth life beneath the snow [Outro] The lights went away over the frosted field but the enclosure kept our song beneath the bark