{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/child/ch219.htm","path":"neu/eng/child/ch219.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/ch219.htm","text":"219A.1 THE gardener stands in his bower-door,\nWith a primrose in his hand,\nAnd by there came a leal maiden,\nAs jimp\u2019s a willow wand.\nAnd by, etc.\n219A.2 \u2018O lady, can you fancy me,\nFor to be my bride,\nYou\u2019ll get a\u2019 the flowers in my garden,\nTo be to you a weed.\n219A.3 \u2018The lily white shall be your smock;\nBecomes your body neat;\nAnd your head shall be deckd with jelly-flower,\nAnd the primrose in your breast.\n219A.4 \u2018Your gown shall be o the sweet-william,\nYour coat o camovine,\nAnd your apron o the salads neat,\nThat taste baith sweet and fine.\n219A.5 \u2018Your stockings shall be o the broad kail-blade,\nThat is baith broad and long;\nAnd narrow, narrow at the coot,\nAnd broad, broad at the brawn.\n219A.6 \u2018Your gloves shall be the marygold,\nAll glittering to your hand,\nWell spread oer wi the blue blaewort,\nThat grows in corn-land.\u2019\n219A.7 \u2018O fare you well, young man,\u2019 she says,\n\u2018Farewell, and I bid adieu;\nSince you\u2019ve provided a weed for me,\nAmong the summer flowers,\nThen I\u2019ll provide another for you,\nAmong the winter showers.\n219A.8 \u2018The new-fallen snow to be your smock;\nBecomes your body neat;\nAnd your head shall be deckd with the eastern wind,\nAnd the cold rain on your breast.\u2019\n219B: The Gardener\n219B.1 ALL ye young men, I pray draw near,\nI\u2019ll let you hear my mind\nConcerning those who fickle are,\nAnd inconstant as the wind.\n219B.2 A pretty maid who late livd here,\nAnd sweetheatrs many had,\nThe gardener-lad he viewd them all,\nJust as they came and gaed.\n219B.3 The gardener-lad he viewd them all,\nBut swore he had no skill:\n\u2018If I were to go as oft to her,\nYe surely would me kill.\n219B.4 \u2018I\u2019m sure she\u2019s not a proper maid,\nI\u2019m sure she is not tall;\u2019\nAnother young man standing by,\nhe said, Slight none at all.\n219B.5 \u2018For we\u2019re all come of woman,\u2019 he said,\n\u2018If ye woud call to mind,\nAnd to all women for her sake\nYe surely should be kind.\u2019\n219B.6 \u2018The summer hours and warm showers\nMake the the trees yield in the ground,\nAnd kindly words will woman win,\nAnd this maid I\u2019ll surround.\u2019\n219B.7 The maid then stood in her bower-door,\nAs straight as ony wand,\nWhen by it came the gardener-lad,\nWith his hat in his hand.\n219B.8 \u2018Will ye live on fruit,\u2019 he said?\n\u2018Or will ye marry me?\nAnd amongst the flowers in my garden\nI\u2019ll shape a weed for thee.\u2019\n219B.9 \u2018I will live on fruit,\u2019 she says,\n\u2018But I\u2019ll never marry thee;\nFor I can live without mankind,\nAnd without mankind I\u2019ll die.\u2019\n219B.10 \u2018Ye shall not live without mankind,\nIf ye\u2019ll accept of me;\nFor among the flowers in my garden\nI\u2019ll shape a weed for thee.\n219B.11 \u2018The lily white to be your smock;\nBecomes your body best;\nAnd the jelly-flower to be your quill,\nAnd the red rose in your breast.\n219B.12 \u2018Your gown shall be o the pingo white,\nYour petticoat cammovine,\nYour apron o the seel o downs;\nCome smile, sweet heart o mine!\n219B.13 \u2018Your shoes shall be o the gude rue red-+--+-\nNever did I garden ill-+--+-\nYour stockings o the mary mild;\nCome smile, sweet heart, your fill!\n219B.14 \u2018Your gloves shall be o the green clover,\nComes lockerin to your hand,\nWell dropped oer wi blue blavers,\nThat grow among white land.\u2019\n219B.15 \u2018Young man, ye\u2019ve shap\u2019d a weed for me,\nIn summer among your flowers;\nNow I will shape another for you,\nAmong the winter showers.\n219B.16 \u2018The snow so white shall be your shirt;\nIt becomes your body best;\nThe cold bleak wind to be your coat,\nAnd the cold wind in your breast.\n219B.17 \u2018The steed that you shall ride upon\nShall be o the weather snell,\nWell bridled wi the northern wind,\nAnd cold sharp showers o hail.\n219B.18 \u2018The hat you on your head shall wear\nShall be o the weather gray,\nAnd aye when you come into my sight\nI\u2019ll wish you were away.\u2019\n219C: The Gardener\n219C.1 BURD ELLEN stands in her bower-door,\nAs straucht \u2019s a hollan wand,\nAnd by it comes the gairdner-lad,\nWi a red rose in his hand.\n219C.2 Says, I have shapen a weed for thee\nAmang my simmer flowers;\n. . . .\n. . .\n* * * * *\n219C.3 \u2018Gin ye hae shapen a weed for me,\nAmang your simmer flowers,\nIt\u2019s I\u2019ll repay ye back again,\nAmang the winter showers.\n219C.4 \u2018The steed that ye sall ride upon\nSall be o the frost sae snell,\nAnd I\u2019ll saddle him wi the norlan winds,\nAnd some sharp showers o hail.\u2019\n* * * * *","title":"The Child Ballads: 219. The Gardener","type":"page"}