The English and Scottish Popular Ballads/Part 3/Chapter 78


 * 1
 * ‘THE wind doth blow today, my love,
 * And a few small drops of rain;
 * I never had but one true-love,
 * In cold grave she was lain.
 * 2
 * ‘I’ll do as much for my true-love
 * As any young man may;
 * I’ll sit and mourn all at her grave
 * For a twelvemonth and a day.’
 * 3
 * The twelvemonth and a day being up,
 * The dead began to speak:
 * ‘Oh who sits weeping on my grave,
 * And will not let me sleep?’
 * 4
 * ‘Tis I, my love, sits on your grave,
 * And will not let you sleep;
 * For I crave one kiss of your clay-cold lips,
 * And that is all I seek.’
 * 5
 * ‘You crave one kiss of my clay-cold lips;
 * But my breath smells earthy strong;
 * If you have one kiss of my clay-cold lips,
 * Your time will not be long.
 * 6
 * ‘Tis down in yonder garden green,
 * Love, where we used to walk,
 * The finest flower that ere was seen
 * Is withered to a stalk.
 * 7
 * ‘The stalk is withered dry, my love,
 * So will our hearts decay;
 * So make yourself content, my love,
 * Till God calls you away.’


 * ‘HOW cold the wind do blow, dear love,
 * And see the drops of rain!
 * I never had but one true-love,
 * In the green wood he was slain.
 * ‘I would do as much for my own true-love
 * As in my power doth lay;
 * I would sit and mourn all on his grave
 * For a twelvemonth and a day.’
 * A twelvemonth and a day being past,
 * His ghost did rise and speak:
 * ‘What makes you mourn all on my grave?
 * For you will not let me sleep.’
 * ‘It is not your gold I want, dear love,
 * Nor yet your wealth I crave;
 * But one kiss from your lily-white lips
 * Is all I wish to have.
 * ‘Your lips are cold as clay, dear love,
 * Your breath doth smell so strong;’
 * ‘I am afraid, my pretty, pretty maid,
 * Your time will not be long.’


 * ‘COLD blows the wind oer my true-love,
 * Cold blow the drops of rain;
 * I never, never had but one sweetheart,
 * In the greenwood he was slain.
 * ‘I did as much for my true-love
 * As ever did any maid;
 * ‘One kiss from your lily-cold lips, true-love,
 * One kiss is all I pray,
 * And I’ll sit and weep all over your grave
 * For a twelvemonth and a day.’
 * ‘My cheek is as cold as the clay, true-love,
 * My breath is earthy and strong;
 * And if I should kiss your lips, true-love,
 * Your life would not be long.’


 * ‘PROUD BOREAS makes a hideous noise,
 * Loud roars the fatal fleed;
 * I loved never a love but one,
 * In church-yard she lies dead.
 * ‘But I will do for my love’s sake
 * What other young men may;
 * I’ll sit and mourn upon her grave,
 * A twelvemonth and a day.’
 * A twelvemonth and a day being past,
 * The ghost began to speak:
 * ‘Why sit ye here upon my grave,
 * And will not let me sleep?’
 * ‘One kiss of your lily-white lips
 * Is all that I do crave;
 * And one kiss of your lily-white lips
 * Is all that I would have.’
 * ‘Your breath is as the roses sweet,
 * Mine as the sulphur strong;
 * If you get one kiss of my lips,
 * Your days would not be long.
 * ‘Mind not ye the day, Willie,
 * Sin you and I did walk?
 * The firstand flower that we did pu
 * Was witherd on the stalk.’
 * ‘Flowers will fade and die, my dear,
 * Aye as the tears will turn;
 * And since I’ve lost my own sweet-heart,
 * I’ll never cease but mourn.’
 * ‘Lament nae mair for me, my love,
 * The powers we must obey;
 * But hoist up one sail to the wind,
 * Your ship must sail away.’