Barbara Allen

Child #84

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In Scarlet town where I was born
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There lived a fair young maiden.
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She was the fairest of them all,
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And her name was Barb'ry Allen.


'Twas in the merry month of May,
When flowers were a-bloomin'
Sweet Willie on his deathbed lay
For the love of Barb'ry Allen.

He sent his servant to the town,
The town that she did dwell in,
Saying, "Master bid me to come here,
If your name be Barb'ry Allen."

Then slowly, slowly she rose up,
And slowly she went to him,
And all she said when she got there:
"Young man, I think you're dying'."

"Oh, yes, I'm sick within my heart,
And I never will get better,
Until I know the love of one,
The love of Barb'ry Allen."

"Oh, don't you remember the other day,
When we were in the tavern,
You drank a toast to the ladies all,
But slighted Barb'ry Allen."

"Oh, yes, I know, I know it well,
When we were in the tavern,
I gave a toast to the ladies all,
But my love to Barb'ry Allen."

He turned his face unto the wall,
And death was with him dealin'.
"Adieu, adieu, to all my friends,
Be kind to Barb'ry Allen."

Then lightly she tripped down the stairs,
He trembled like an aspen.
"'Tis vain, 'tis vain, my dear young man
To pine for Barb'ry Allen."

She walked out in the green, green fields,
She heard his death bell knellin'.
And every stroke they seemed to say:
"Hardhearted Barb'ry Allen."

She looked to the east; she looked to the west;
She saw his corpse a-comin',
"Oh, set him down for me," she cried,
"That I may gaze upon him."

The more she looked the more she grieved,
Until she burst out cryin';
Saying, "Pick me up and carry me home,
For I feel like I'm dyin'."

"Oh, father dear, go dig my grave;
Go dig it deep and narrow.
Sweet Willie died for me today;
I'll die for him tomorrow."

They buried Willie in the old churchyard
And Barb'ry in the new one.
From Willie's grave there grew a rose;
From Barb'ry's a green briar.

They grew and grew to the old church wall
'Til they couldn't grow no higher;
And there they tied in a true-love knot,
The rose bush and the briar.