FATAL FLOWER GARDEN

It rained, it poured, it rained so hard,
It rained so hard all day,
That all the boys in our school
Came out to toss and play.

They tossed their ball again so high,
Then again so low,
They tossed it into a flower garden
Where no one was allowed to go.

Up stepped this gypsy lady,
All dressed in yellow and green;
"Come in, come in, my pretty little boy,
And get your ball again,'

"I won't come in, I shan't come in,
Without my playmates all;
I'll go t'my father 'n tell him about it-
That'll cause tears to fall"

She first showed him an apple seed (for "sweet"?)
Then again a gold ring;
Then she showed him a diamunt,
That enticed him in.

She took him by his lily-white hand,
She led him through the hall,
She put him into an upper room,
Where no one could hear him call.

"Oh take these finger-rings off my fingers,
Smoke them with your breath;
If any of my friends should call for me,
Tell them that I'm at rest."

"Tether [?] the Bible at my head,
The Testament at my feet;
If my dear mother should call for me,
Tell her that I'm asleep."

"Tether the Bible at my feet,
The Testament at my head;
If my dear father should call for me,
Tell him that I am dead."

Child #155
Roud-73
From the Penguin Book of Folk Ballads, Friedman
Note: The original Jew's Daughter seems to have converted in this
American version. RG
Recorded by Peggy Seeger
@child @murder
filename[ SIRHUGH1
TUNE FILE: ADAMGRMN
CLICK TO PLAY
RG
mudcat.org

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