| |
| THE PRIMRWOSE in the sheäde do blow, | |
| The cowslip in the zun, | |
| The thyme upon the down do grow, | |
| The clote where streams do run; | |
| An’ where do pretty maidens grow | 5 |
| An’ blow, but where the tow’r | |
| Do rise among the bricken tuns, | |
| In Blackmwore by the Stour. | |
| |
| If you could zee their comely gaït, | |
| An’ pretty feäces’ smiles, | 10 |
| A-trippèn on so light o’ waïght, | |
| An’ steppèn off the stiles; | |
| A-gwaïn to church, as bells do swing | |
| An’ ring ’ithin the tow’r, | |
| You’d own the pretty maïdens’ pleäce | 15 |
| Is Blackmwore by the Stour. | |
| |
| If you vrom Wimborne took your road, | |
| To Stower or Paladore, | |
| An’ all the farmers’ housen show’d | |
| Their daughters at the door; | 20 |
| You’d cry to bachelors at hwome— | |
| “Here, come: ’ithin an hour | |
| You ’ll vind ten maïdens to your mind, | |
| In Blackmwore by the Stour.” | |
| |
| An’ if you look’d ’ithin their door, | 25 |
| To zee em in their pleäce, | |
| A-doèn housework up avore | |
| Their smilèn mother’s feäce; | |
| You’d cry—“Why, if a man would wive | |
| An’ thrive, ’ithout a dow’r, | 30 |
| Then let en look en out a wife | |
| In Blackmwore by the Stour.” | |
| |
| As I upon my road did pass | |
| A school-house back in Maÿ, | |
| There out upon the beäten grass | 35 |
| Wer maïdens at their plaÿ | |
| An’ as the pretty souls did tweil | |
| An’ smile, I cried, “The flow’r | |
| O’ beauty, then, is still in bud | |
| In Blackmore by the Stour.” | 40 |
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