soul cake

You must have heard that song already. The lyrics are based on an old, traditional verse sang out by the "soulers".
To understand what the song's about you have to refer to the tradition of baking soul cakes. This is what wikipedia says on that:

A soul cake is a small round cake which is traditionally made for all Saints' Day or All Souls' Day to celebrate the dead. The cakes, often simply referred to as souls, were given out to soulers (mainly consisting of children and the poor) who would go from door to door on Halloween singing and saying prayers for the dead. Each cake eaten would represent a soul being freed from Purgatory. The practice of giving and eating soul cakes is often seen as the origin of modern Trick or Treating.

The tradition of giving Soul Cakes originated in Britain during the Middle Ages, although similar practices for the souls of the dead were found as far south as Italy.

The cakes were usually filled with allspice, nutmeg, cinammon, or other sweet spices, raisins or currants, and later were topped with the mark of a cross.

Soem more insightful information is here, together with the recipe:

http://catholiccuisine.blogspot.com/2009/10/soul-cakes.html

And now the song, the song:)

A soul cake, a soul cake,

Please, good missus, a soul cake,

An apple, a pear, a plum or a cherry,

Any good thing to make us all merry.



A soul cake, a soul cake,

Please, good missus, a soul cake,

One for Peter, two for Paul,

And three for Him that made us all.



God bless the master of this house

And the mistress also,

And all the little children

That round your table grow;

The cattle in your stable,

The dogs at your front door,

And all that dwell within your gates

We’ll wish you ten times more.



A soul cake, a soul cake…



Go down into the cellar

And see what you can fi nd;

If the barrels are not empty

We’ll hope that you’ll be kind;

We’ll hope that you’ll be kind

With your apple and your pear,

And we’ll come no more a-soulin’

Till Christmas time next year.



A soul cake, a soul cake…



The streets are very dirty,

Me shoes are very thin,

I have a little pocket

To put a penny in;

If you haven’t got a penny

A ha’penny will do;

If you haven’t got a ha’penny

God bless you.



A soul cake, a soul cake…