The English and Scottish Popular Ballads/Part 3/Chapter 78
For other versions of this work, see The Unquiet Grave.
A
- 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.’
B
- ‘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.’
C
- ‘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.’
D
- ‘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.’