The Bear and the Maiden Fair

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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.

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]

A Dance With Dragons

In Meereen Tyrion realizes that Ser Jorah is doomed if purchased by Zahrina. Tyrion manages to get the slave overseer Nurse to convince Yezzan zo Qaggaz to purchase Ser Jorah by lying and telling Nurse that Jorah is part of their show - the bear and the maiden fair. Jorah is the bear, Penny is the maiden, and Tyrion is the brave knight who rescues her.

During their bondage Tyrion notes that Jorah has not adapted well. When called upon to play the bear and carry off the maiden fair, he had been sullen and uncooperative, shuffling lifelessly through his paces when he deigned to take part in their mummery at all. [8]

Symbolism

The song is a motif that reflects the relationships between several characters, including Sandor Clegane and Sansa Stark, Jorah Mormont and Daenerys Targaryen, and, almost comically, Brienne of Tarth and Jaime Lannister (where Sandor, Jorah, and Brienne symbolize "the Bear" who either literally or figuratively saves the "Maiden Fair").

References and Notes