Ushag Veg Ruy (A Part traditional Manx/ B Part ©2019, Karen Ashbrook)
This tune shows up often in Manx repertoire, but I first learned it from Jo Morrison's book Beginning Harper's Tunebook, Triharpskel Productions, 2003. The book is a wonderful collection of beautiful Celtic airs. https://www.triharpskel.com/books.html.
The protagonist is a bird that is having a wretched time trying to sleep, until she finally finds comfort sleeping between two leaves.
Lyrics
From Suantraighe, A Collection of Celtic Lullabies
Little red bird of the black peat ground
Black peat ground, black peat ground
Little red bird of the black peat ground
Where did you sleep last night?
Did I not sleep last night on the top of the bush
On the top of the bush, on the top of the bush
With rain falling on every side
And oh! wretched was my sleep
Did I not sleep last night on the top of the briar…
While the wind was blowing all around
And oh! wretched was my sleep
Did I not sleep last night on top of the wave…
Where many a man’s son slept before me
And oh! wretched was my sleep
I slept last night between two leaves…
As the baby sleeps on the breast of the mother