The original words that Baring-Gould collected from Baring-Gould were as follows: As I was going to Strawberry Fair Ri-tol-ri-tol, riddle-tol-de-lido I saw a fair maid of beauty rare Tol-de-dee I saw a fair maid go selling her ware As she went on to Strawberry Fair Ri-tol-ri-tol-riddle-tol-di-dee O pretty fair maiden I prithee tell My pretty fair maid, what do you sell? O come tell me truly sweet damsel As you go on to Strawberry Fair O I have a lock that doth lack a key O I have a lock, sir, she did say If you have a key then come this way As we go on to Strawberry Fair Between us I reckon, that when we met The key to the lock it was well set The key to the lock it well did fit As we went on to Strawberry Fair O would that my lock had been a gun I'd shoot the Blacksmith, for I'm undone And wares to carry I need have none That I should go to Strawberry Fair Liz, you protest too much about SB-G. He edited, like Sharp, Broadwood and the rest for publication. He did, though, leave us very good records of what he actually collected - and there are many in his papers that use metaphors much more explicit than the old lock and key. I'm sure that I've got the Tony Newley version on tape somewhere - finding it will be an interesting challengs Martin
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