Twas in the merry month of May
When flowers were a-bloomin'
Sweet Willie on his deathbed lay
For the love of Barbara Allen
He sent his servant to the town
The town where she did dwell in
Saying "Master dear has sent me here
It remained as Barbara Allen"
Then slowly slowly she got up
And slowly she went to him
And all she said when she got there
"Young man, I think you're dying"
"Oh don't you remember the other day
When we were in the tavern?
You drank your health to the ladies there
And you slighted Barbara Allen"
He turned his face unto the wall
He turned his back upon her
"So long! Farewell! To all my friends
Be kind to Barbara Allen"
She looked to the east, She looked to the west
She saw his corpse a-comin'
"Oh sit him down for me" she cried
"That I may gaze upon him"
The more she looked the more she grieved
She bursted out to cryin'
Sayin' "pick me up and carry me home
For I feel like I am dyin'"
They buried Willie in the old churchyard
And Barbara in the new one
From Willie's grave there grew a rose
From Barbara's a green briar
They grew and grew to the old church wall
And could not grow no higher
And there they died in a true love-knot
The rosebush and the briar
