IN THE MERRY MERRY MONTH OF MAY (BARBARA ALLEN)
*An old English ballad which has many versions*


Was in the merry month of May
When flowers were a bloomin'
Sweet William on his death-bed lay
For the love of Barbara Allen

Slowly, slowly she got up
And slowly she went nigh him
And all she said when she got there
"Young man, I think you're dying"

"O yes, I'm sick and very low
And death is on me dwellin'
No better shall I ever be
If I don't get Barbara Allen"

"Don't you remember the other day
When you were in the tavern
I toasted all the ladies there
And slighted Barbara Allen?"

"O yes, I remember the other day
When we were in the Tavern
I toasted all the ladies there
Gave my love to Barbara Allen"

He turned his pale face to the wall
And death was on him dwellin'
"Adieu, Adieu, my kind friends all
Be kind to Barbara Allen"
As she was walkin' through the fields
She heard the death bells knelling
And every toll they seemed to say
"Hard-hearted Barbara Allen"

She looked east, she looked west
She saw his corpse a-comin'
"Lay down, lay down the corpse" she said
"And let me gaze upon him"

"O mother, mother make my bed
O make it long and narrow
Sweet William died for me today
I'll die for him tomorrow"

Sweet William died on a Saturday night
And Barbara died on Sunday
Her mother died for the love of both
And was buried Easter Monday

They buried Willie in the old church yard
And Barbara there anigh him
And out of his grave grew a red, red rose
And out of hers, a briar

They grew and grew in the old churchyard
Till they couldn't grow no higher
They lapped and tied in a true love's knot
The rose ran around the briar.