Lyrics & Knowledge Personal Pages Record Shop Auction Links Radio & Media Kids Membership Help
The Mudcat Cafesj



User Name Thread Name Subject Posted
Jim Dixon Lyr Add: As the Rose Grows Merry in Time (6) Lyr Add: THE CAMBRIC SHIRT 01 Mar 16


From an article "Various Ballads" edited by G. L. Kittredge in The Journal of American Folk-lore, Vol. 25, No. 98, Oct.-Dec., 1912, page 174:

I. THE CAMBRIC SHIRT

This version of Child, No. 2, was contributed by Miss Adina De Zavala, San Antonio, Tex. It came from Ireland (Dublin or thereabout). Cf. this Journal, vol. xix, p. 130; vol. xxiii, p. 430; Child, I, 19;V, 284.

1. As I roved out through a green bank's side,
—Every rose grows merry in time,—
I met a fair maid and she wore a green gown,
And she said she would be a true lover of mine.

2. I told her to make me a cambric shirt
—Every rose grows merry in time—
Without either seam or needlework,
Before she could be a true lover of mine.

3. I told her to wash it in a spring well
—Every rose grows merry in time—
Where it never sprung nor a drop never run,
Before she could be a true lover of mine.

4. I told her to dry it on a green thorn
—Every rose grows merry in time—
Where it never blossomed since Adam was born,
And then she could be a true lover of mine.

5. "Now, my young man, as you've said so,
—Every rose grows merry in time,—
I hope you will answer me as many more,
Before you can be a true lover of mine."

6. I told him to get me an acre of land
—Every rose grows merry in time—
Between the salt water and the sea sand,
Before you can be a true lover of mine.

7. I told him to plough it with a ram's horn,
—Every rose grows merry in time,—
And sow it all over with pepper and corn (or one pepper corn).
Before you can be a true lover of mine.

8. I told him to thresh it in an egg shell,
—Every rose grows merry in time,—
And sell it in a town where nobody dwells,
Before you can be a true lover of mine.

9. "Then, when you've done and finished your work,
—Every rose grows merry in time,—
Return to me and I'll give you the shirt,
And then you will be a true lover of mine."


Post to this Thread -

Back to the Main Forum Page

By clicking on the User Name, you will requery the forum for that user. You will see everything that he or she has posted with that Mudcat name.

By clicking on the Thread Name, you will be sent to the Forum on that thread as if you selected it from the main Mudcat Forum page.

By clicking on the Subject, you will also go to the thread as if you selected it from the original Forum page, but also go directly to that particular message.

By clicking on the Date (Posted), you will dig out every message posted that day.

Try it all, you will see.