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With thanks to YouTuber Scout4Me1, who includes this description in a 2011 video of this song as performed by Peter, Paul and Mary:
"The Three Ravens" is an English language folk ballad printed in the song book 'Melismata' and published in 1611, but perhaps earlier.
"The ballad takes the form of three scavenger birds conversing about where and what they should eat. One mentions a recently slain knight, but they find he is guarded by his loyal hawks and hounds. Furthermore "a fallow doe" an obvious metaphor for the knight`s pregnant ("as great with young as she may go") lover or mistress comes to his body, kisses his wounds, and bears him away and buries him, leaving the ravens without an apparent meal. The narrator, however, gradually departs from the ravens point of view ending with "God send every gentleman/such haukes, such hounds, and such "a loved one" -- the comment of the narrator on the action, rather than the ravens whose discussion he earlier describes."
"Alternately, the lyrics may simply ascribe the apparent narrator`s sentiments to the raven(s) which given the previous personification of the raven(s) seems just as possible."
From their 2017 "Hope" album, here are Libera with "Three Ravens". I assume this extraordinary arrangement is by Libera's musical director, Robert Prizeman (1952-2021). The soloist is Gregor Lumsden.
Thanks to YouTuber Libera - Topic. Lyrics courtesy of letssingit.com are below the clip.
down a down, hey down a down
They were as black as they might be
with a down, down, down
Then one of them said to his mate
'Where shall we now our breakfast take?'
With a down, derry, derry, down, down
Down in yonder deep green field,
down a down, hey down a down
There lies a knight slain under his shield,
with a down, down, down
His hounds they lie down at his feet,
so well do they their masters keep
With a down, derry, derry, down, down
His hawks they fly so eagerly,
down a down, hey down a down
There's no fowl that dare him come nigh,
with a down, down, down
Down there comes a fallow doe,
as great with young as she might go
With a down, derry, derry, down, down
She lifted up his bloody head,
down a down, hey down a down
And kissed his wounds that were so red,
with a down, down, down
She got him up upon her back,
and carried him to earthern lake
With a down, derry, derry, down, down
She buried him before the prime, a derry
She was dead herself ere evensong time
God send every gentle man such hawks, such hounds,
And such a loved one
