Harpy Hare – English Lyrics

• By: Yaelokre

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the enchanting yet haunting world of Yaelokre through "Harpy Hare," a song that uses rich storytelling and vivid imagery to explore the delicate balance between safety and freedom. Dive into the lore of Meadowlark and The Lark, and learn about the complexities of family and the challenges of letting go, all while enjoying Yaelokre's unique blend of folk music and character-driven narrative.

[English]

Harpy Hare, where have you buried all your children?

Tell me so I say

Harpy Hare, where have you buried all your children?

Tell me so I say

All the arrows that you've stolen

Split in half, now bum and broken

Like your heart that was so eager to be hid

You can't keep them all caged

They will fight and run away

Mother, tell me so I say (la-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la)

Harpy Hare, where have you buried all your children?

Tell me so I say

Harpy Hare, where have you buried all your children?

Tell me so I say

Forest walls and starry ceilings

Barren curtains that you're weaving

Like the stories that you keep inside your head

She can't keep them all safe

They will die and be afraid

Mother, tell me so I say (mother, tell me so I say)

Harpy Hare, where have you buried all your children?

Tell me so I say

Harpy Hare, where have you buried all your children?

Tell me so I say

...

Harpy Hare, where have you buried all your children?

Tell me so I say

Harpy Hare, where have you buried all your children?

Tell me so I say (tell me so I say!)

...

She can't keep them all caged

They'll be far and fly away

Mother, tell me you will stay

We'll be far and fly away

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
bury /ˈberi/ B1	verb - to put (someone or something) under the ground or cover with earth.
steal /stiːl/ B1	verb - to take something from someone without permission.
split /splɪt/ B1	verb - to divide something into two or more parts. adjective - divided or cracked.
heart /hɑːt/ A2	noun - the organ in your chest that pumps blood. noun - the center of emotion.
cage /keɪdʒ/ B1	noun - a structure made of bars or wires used to confine animals. verb - to confine in a cage.
fight /faɪt/ A2	verb - to take part in a physical fight.
run /rʌn/ A1	verb - to move at a speed faster than walking.
forest /ˈfɒrɪst/ A2	noun - a large area covered chiefly with trees and undergrowth.
wall /wɔːl/ A2	noun - a vertical structure separating two areas.
ceiling /ˈsiːlɪŋ/ B1	noun - the upper interior surface of a room or other similar compartment.
curtain /ˈkɜːrtən/ A2	noun - a piece of cloth hung in a window to keep out light.
weave /wiːv/ B2	verb - to interlace threads or strands to create a fabric.
safe /seɪf/ A2	adjective - protected from danger or risk.
die /daɪ/ A2	verb - to stop living.
afraid /əˈfreɪd/ A2	adjective - feeling fear or anxiety.
far /fɑː/ A1	adjective - at or to a great distance.
fly /flaɪ/ A2	verb - move through the air using wings.
stay /steɪ/ A1	verb - remain in a place.

Key Grammar Structures

• Harpy Hare, where have you buried all your children?

  ➔ Question formation using *wh-* word and perfect aspect.

  ➔ The sentence asks a question starting with *where* (a *wh-* word), followed by the auxiliary verb *have* and the past participle *buried*, forming the present perfect tense. It investigates a completed action with present relevance.

• Tell me so I say

  ➔ Sentence structure: imperative verb + pronoun + conjunction + subject + verb (archaic usage).

  ➔ This is an unusual sentence structure. The imperative *Tell* is followed by the pronoun *me*, then *so* (conjunction), and finally, the subject *I* and verb *say*. It has a slightly archaic feel, emphasizing the speaker's assertion.

• All the arrows that you've stolen

  ➔ Relative clause with *that* used as a relative pronoun; present perfect *have stolen*.

  ➔ The sentence contains a relative clause that modifies *arrows*. The relative pronoun *that* introduces the clause and refers back to *arrows*. *Have stolen* is present perfect tense, indicating an action completed in the past that has relevance to the present.

• Split in half, now bum and broken

  ➔ Parallel structure with past participles used adjectivally.

  ➔ The phrases 'split in half' and 'bum and broken' use past participles to describe the state of something (in this case, the arrows). This creates a parallel structure with similar grammatical function, highlighting the damage.

• Like your heart that was so eager to be hid

  ➔ Simile using *like*, followed by a noun phrase containing a relative clause with *that* and the passive infinitive.

  ➔ This sentence uses *like* for a simile. The noun phrase 'your heart that was so eager to be hid' provides the comparison. The relative clause (*that was so eager to be hid*) describes the heart, using a passive infinitive *to be hid*.

• She can't keep them all safe

  ➔ Modal verb of ability and negation (*can't*) + bare infinitive.

  ➔ The sentence uses the modal verb *can't* (contraction of *cannot*) to express the inability of the subject 'She'. The verb following is the bare infinitive, *keep*.

• They will die and be afraid

  ➔ Future tense with *will* + bare infinitive; coordination using *and*.

  ➔ The sentence expresses a future event with the auxiliary verb *will* followed by the bare infinitives *die* and *be*. The two verbs are joined by *and* to form a compound predicate.

• Mother, tell me so I say (la-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la)

  ➔ Direct address (vocative case) + imperative + archaic sentence structure.

  ➔ This line begins with a direct address *Mother*. Then, it uses the imperative *tell* and the archaic sentence structure 'me so I say' as seen before. This emphasizes a plea and provides an emotional tone.

• She can't keep them all caged

  ➔ Modal verb of ability and negation (*can't*) + bare infinitive; adjective used to describe the object *them*.

  ➔ Similar to the previous instance, the sentence uses *can't* to express inability. *Caged* is used as an adjective, modifying *them* (her children), describing their state of being confined.