The Bear and the Maiden Fair
The Bear and the Maiden Fair is a rather ribald traditional song sung throughout the Seven Kingdoms. It describes in a humorous tone the story of a hairy bear that, while going to a fair with a band of three boys and a goat, rescues a maiden who was hoping for a knight.
The song is at least older than 209 AL, when it was already sung[1]. It is very popular, being enjoyed both by the nobles and the commons.
Contents
Lyrics
- "A bear there was,"
- "A bear, A BEAR!
- "All black and brown,"
- "And covered with hair!
- "Oh come they said,"
- "Oh come to the fair!"
- "The fair? said he,
- "But I'm a bear!"
- "All black and brown,"
- "And covered in hair!"
- "And down the road,"
- "From here to there,"
- "From here!To there!"
- "Three boys, a goat,"
- "And a dancing bear!"
- "They danced and spun,"
- "All the way to the fair!"
- "Oh! sweet she was,"
- "And pure and fair,"
- "The maid with honey,"
- "In her hair! Her hair,"
- "The maid with honey,"
- "in her hair!"
- The bear smelled the scent,
- "On the summer air!"
- "The Bear! The Bear!"
- "All black and brown,"
- "And covered with hair!"
- "He smelled the scent,"
- "On the summer air,"
- "He sniffed and roared,"
- "And smelled it there!"
- "Honey on the summer air!"
- "Oh I'm a maid,"
- "And I'm pure and fair,"
- "I'll never dance,"
- "With a hairy bear,"
- "A bear! A bear!"
- "I'll never dance,"
- "With a hairy bear!"
- "The bear,the bear!"
- "Lifted her high,"
- into the air!"
- The bear, the bear!"
- "I called for a knight!"
- "But you're a bear!"
- "A bear! A bear,"
- "All black and brown,"
- "And cover in hair!"
- "She kicked and wailed,"
- "The maid so fair,"
- "But he licked the honey,"
- "From her hair!"
- "Her hair! Her hair!"
- "He licked the honey,"
- "From her hair!"
- "Then she sighed and squealed,"
- "And kicked the air,"
- "She sang: My bear so fair,"
- "And off they went,"
- "The bear! The bear!"
- "And the maiden fair!"[2]
Recent Events
A Clash of Kings
The song was sung at the harvest feast at Winterfell.[3]
A Storm of Swords
Tom of Sevenstreams sings it with Hot Pie on the ride to the Inn of the Kneeling Man.[4] It is sung by Butterbumps at the Sansa's dinner with Margaery Tyrell and her Grandmother to cover the conversation about Joffrey.[5] Greatjon Umber sings it, drunkenly, at the Red Wedding. [6]
Feast for Crows
It was sung by Dareon on the voyage to Braavos.[7]
References and Notes
- ↑ The Hedge Knight
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 6, Sansa
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 21, Bran
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 13, Arya
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 6, Sansa
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 51, Catelyn
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 15, Samwell