| |
I
‘I AM as brown as brown can be, | |
| My eyes as black as a sloe; | |
| I am as brisk as a nightingale, | |
| And as wild as any doe. | |
| |
II
‘My love has sent me a love-letter, | 5 |
| Not far from yonder town, | |
| That he could not fancy me, | |
| Because I was so brown. | |
| |
III
‘I sent him his letter back again, | |
| For his love I valu’d not, | 10 |
| Whether that he could fancy me | |
| Or whether he could not. | |
| |
IV
‘He sent me his letter back again, | |
| That he lay sick to death, | |
| That I might then go speedily | 15 |
| To give him up his faith.’ | |
| |
V
Now you shall hear what love she had | |
| Then for this love-sick man; | |
| She was a whole long summer’s day | |
| In a mile a going on. | 20 |
| |
VI
When she came to her love’s bed-side, | |
| Where he lay dangerous sick, | |
| She could not for laughing stand | |
| Upright upon her feet. | |
| |
VII
She had a white wand all in her hand, | 25 |
| And smooth’d it all on his breast; | |
| ‘In faith and troth come pardon me, | |
| I hope your soul’s at rest.’— | |
| |
VIII
‘Prithee,’ said he, ‘forget, forget, | |
| Prithee forget, forgive; | 30 |
| O grant me yet a little space, | |
| That I may be well and live.’— | |
| |
IX
‘O never will I forget, forgive, | |
| So long as I have breath; | |
| I’ll dance above your green, green grave | 35 |
| Where you do lie beneath. | |
| |
X
‘I’ll do as much for my true-love | |
| As other maidens may; | |
| I’ll dance and sing on my love’s grave | |
| A whole twelvemonth and a day.’ | 40 |
| |
