BARBRIALLEN

'Twas in the merry month of May When greed buds were a swelling Sweet William on his deathbed lay For the love of Barbriallen He sent his servant to the town The place where she'd been dwelling Saying, “Master dear has sent me here If your name be Barbriallen” And slowly, slowly she got up And slowly she went to him And all she said when she got there “Young man, I think you're dying” “Oh, don't you remember the other day When we were in the tavern You drank your health to the ladies there And slighted Barbriallen” He turned his face unto the well He turned his back upon her “Adieu, adieu to all my friends Be kind to Barbriallen” She looked to the east, she looked to the west She saw his corpse a coming “Oh, put him down for me,” she cried “That I may gaze upon him” The more she looked the more she grieved She bursted out in crying “Oh, pick me up and carry me home For I feel like I am dying” They buried sweet Willie in the old churchyard And Barbara in the new one From Willie's grave there grew a rose From Barbara's a green briar They grew and they grew on the old church wall And could not grow no higher And there they tied in a true love's knot The rose bush and the briar