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Barbara Ellen
Melody
In Scotland I was born and bred
In Scotland I was dwelling;
When a young man on his deathbed lay
For the sake of Barb'ra Ellen.
2. He sent his servant to her house
To the place where she was dewlling,
Saying, "You must come to my master's house
If your name is Barb'ra Ellen." 3. So slowly she put on her clothes
So slowly she came to him,
And when she came to his bedside
She said, "Young man, you're dying." 4. "A dying man! O don't say so.
For one kiss from you will cure me."
"One kiss from me you never shall have
While your poor heart is breaking." 5. "If you'll look up at my bed-head
You will see my watch a-hanging;
Here's my gold ring and my gold chain
I give to Barb'ra Ellen." 6. "If you look down at my bed's-foot
You will see a bowl a-standing
In it is the blood I've shed
For the sake of Barb'ra Ellen." 7. As she was walking down the lane
She heard some birds a-singing,
And as they sang, they seemed to say:
"Hard-hearted Barb'ra Ellen." 8. As she was walking down the lane
She heard some bells a-tolling,
And as they tolled they seemed to say:
"Hard-hearted Barb'ra Ellen." 9. As she was walking up the groves
And met his corpse a-coming,
"Stay, stay," said she,"and stop awhile
That I may gaze all on you." 10. The more she gazed, the more she smiled
Till she burst out a-laughing;
And her parents cried out:"Fie, for shame,
Hard-hearted Barb'ra Ellen." 11. "Come mother, come make up my bed
Make it both long and narrow;
My true love died for me yesterday
I'll die for him tomorrow." 12. And he was buried in Edmondstone
And she was buried in Cold Harbour;
And out of him sprang roses red
And out of her sweet-brier.
13. It grew and grew so very high
Till it could grow no higher;
And around the top growed a true lover's knot
And around it twined sweet-brier.
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.
2. 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." 3. "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." 4. "Don't you remember the other day
When you were in the tavern,
I toasted all the ladies there
And slighted Barbara Allen?" 5. "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." 6. 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." 7. As she was walkin' through the fields,
She heard the death bells knelling,
And every toll they seemed to say,
"Hard-hearted Barbara Allen." 8. 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." 9. "O mother, mother make my bed,
O make it long and narrow,
Sweet William died for me today,
I'll die for him tomorrow." 10. 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.
11. 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.
12. 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.
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