I suddenly found myself singing this ballad, after countless years of neglect. I learned it first I think from a recording by Richard Dyer-Bennett, almost but not quite a contemporary of Child.

I was puzzled back then, as I am now, by the last verse -- the famous chiding that he who will not when he may, shall not when he would. What I don't understand is the previos line: There's a flower in our garden that's called the marigold.

Is there some significance metaphorically, herbally, or in the language of the flowers that connects marigolds to the notion of boldness, or on the contrary, to excessive reluctance?

Or is it merely to create a rhyme? Which would presume that 'would' was pronounced as 'wold' back (as they say now) in the day.

Any thoughts? Any florists out there?