The cuckoo is a pretty bird. She sings as she flies.
She brings us glad tidings and tells us no lies.

Can't you see yon turtle dove that flies from pine to pine?
He's mourning for his own true love, as I shall mourn for mine.

Ain't no use me workin' so hard.
I got a gal in the rich folks' yard.

I went down the mountainside, give my horn a blow.
Everywhere them pretty girls said, "Yonder goes my beau."

My horses ain't hungry. They won't eat your hay.
So fare you well, darling, I'll be on my way. [or "I'm going away"]

A meeting is a pleasure but parting is grief.
An inconstant [or "false-hearted"] lover is worse than a thief.

Raccoon's got a bushy tail. Possum's tail is bare.
Rabbit's got no tail at all, just a little bunch of hair.

Who will shoe your pretty little foot? Who will glove your hand?
Who will kiss your ruby lips? Who's gonna be your man? [or "when I'm in a foreign land?"]
Papa will shoe my pretty little feet. Mama will glove my hand.
You can kiss my ruby lips when you get back again.
[or "No one will kiss my ruby lips till you come back again."]

Little piece of cornbread on the shelf,
If you want any more you can sing it yourself.
[You can vary the things that are on the shelf.]


You might want to mention the cliché expressions that occur especially in old ballads: ruby lips, rosy cheeks, lily-white hand, milk-white steed, gay gold ring, own true love, raging main, deep-blue sea, etc.