A Keeper Went Hunting

Song Meaning

This traditional ballad paints a picture of a persistent hunter, the "keeper," setting out with his bow for a "merry little doe." The initial scene is idyllic, set "Among the leaves so green-o," suggesting a peaceful, natural environment for the hunt. The repetitive chorus, with its nonsensical "derry down down," creates a rhythmic, almost hypnotic effect, underscoring the cyclical nature of the pursuit. The narrator seems to be detailing a series of failed attempts, each doe evading capture. The central tension lies in the keeper's escalating frustration and the doe's uncanny ability to escape. The first miss is straightforward, but the second is described with a strange intimacy: "The second doe he swore he kissed." This peculiar phrasing suggests a moment of unexpected connection or perhaps a desperate, almost romanticized longing for success. The third doe, however, is described as one that "would by nobody be missed," implying a deliberate, almost defiant escape, setting a new tone of active evasion. The lyrics employ a subtle shift in the keeper's attitude as the hunt progresses. After the initial misses, the fourth doe is chased "back again," and the keeper resigns himself with "Where she is may she remain." This is followed by the fifth doe, which crosses a brook and is chased "back with his crook." The keeper's final pronouncement, "Where she is you may go and look," is laced with a weary, almost taunting dismissal. The repeated refrain of "Catch him boy, faster, very well, master" within the chorus takes on an ironic quality, as the keeper is clearly not catching his quarry. What makes these lyrics so effective is their understated portrayal of futility and the subtle evolution of the hunter's mindset. The simple, almost childlike language contrasts with the underlying theme of a failed pursuit. The repetition of the green leaves and the chorus creates a sense of unchanging setting against the backdrop of the keeper's repeated failures. The narrative arc isn't one of triumph, but of a hunter's gradual, almost resigned acceptance of his inability to catch these particular does, leaving the listener with a sense of the wild's untamable spirit.