E

‘In Gipsy Tents,’ by Francis Hindes Groome, 1880, p. 141, as sung by an old woman.

1

‘Cold blows the wind over my true love,

Cold blows the drops of rain;

I never, never had but one sweet-heart,

In the green wood he was slain.

2

‘But I’ll do as much for my true love

As any young girl can do;

I’ll sit and I’ll weep by his grave-side

For a twelvemonth and one day.’

3

When the twelvemonth’s end and one day was past,

This young man he arose:

‘What makes you weep by my grave-side

For twelve months and one day?’

4

‘Only one kiss from your lily cold lips,

One kiss is all I crave;

Only one kiss from your lily cold lips,

And return back to your grave.’

5

‘My lip is cold as the clay, sweet-heart,

My breath is earthly strong;

If you should have a kiss from my cold lip,

Your days will not be long.’

6

‘Go fetch me a note from the dungeon dark,

Cold water from a stone;

There I’ll sit and weep for my true love

For a twelvemonth and one day.

7

‘Go dig me a grave both long, wide and deep;

I will lay down in it and take one sleep,

For a twelvemonth and one day;

I will lay down in it and take a long sleep,

For a twelvemonth and a day.’