Mom owned a set of Joseph Marais and Miranda 78s from which I learned the following:

A-ROUND THE CORNER
As recorded by Marais and Miranda on “Joseph Marais and Miranda Revisit the South African Veld” 2013.

1. Tonight all the folks will cut the corn. (cut the corn)
Tonight I'll be glad that I was born. (I was born)
Little Emily I'll see.
She'll be cutting corn with me,
And we'll meet beneath the bitterberry tree.

CHORUS: Around the corner, ooh-ooh, beneath the berry tree,
Along the footpath, behind the bush, looking for Emily.
Around the corner, woo-oo, woo-ooo, woo-oo.

2. Tonight all the stars are shining bright. (shining bright)
Tonight all the cornfields are a sight. (are a sight)
And my sickle pleases me
As I swing it lustily,
But I wonder where my Emily can be. CHORUS

3. Tonight I have stopped my reaping soon. (reaping soon)
Tonight there’s a smiling happy moon. (happy moon)
I have reached the meeting spot
But my Emily is not
Where she promised; can it be that she forgot? CHORUS

4. Tonight as the moon begins to sink, (begins to sink)
Tonight there are footsteps which I think (which I think)
Will at last bring her to me,
That young maiden Emily,
And I wonder why so late she has to be. CHORUS

5. O Emily, why did you make me wait? (make me wait)
“I'm late 'cause I had another date.” (another date)
It was plain for me to see
She'd been keeping company
With another man beneath another tree. CHORUS

6. Tonight all the folks will cut the corn. (cut the corn)
Tonight I am sad and so forlorn, (so forlorn)
For my Emily was fickle,
So I used my sharp old sickle,
And the blood beneath the berry tree does trickle. CHORUS


Marais and Miranda finished the song with one more rendition of that cheery little chorus, wooo oos and all.

I learned the John Jacob Niles version of Lambkin from Martha McGhee at School for Scottish Arts. It has a pretty little tune. I've always enjoyed singing it.