THE MONTH OF MAY
Traditional
As recorded by the Copper Family (Bob & Ron) on "Come Write Me Down: Early Recordings of the Copper Family of Rottingdean" (2000)

'Twas in the pleasant month of May in the springtime of the year,
And down by yonder meadow there runs a river clear,
See how the little fishes how they do sport and play
Causing many a lad and many a lass to go there a-making hay.

Then in comes that scytheman that meadow to mow down,
With his old leather-ed bottle and the ale that runs so brown.
There's many a stout and a labouring man goes there his skill to try,
He works, he mows, he sweats and he blows and the grass cuts very dry.

Then in comes both Tom and Dick with their pitch-forks and their rakes
And likewise black-eyed Susan the hay all for to make.
There's a sweet, sweet, sweet and a jug, jug, jug, how the harmless birds do sing,
From the morning till the evening as we were a-haymaking.

It was just at one evening as the sun was a-going down,
We saw the jolly piper come a-strolling through the town.
There he pulled out his tapering pipes and he made the valleys ring,
So we all put down our rakes and forks and we left off haymaking.

We call-ed for a dance and we tripp-ed it along,
We danced all round the haycocks till the rising of the sun.
When the sun did shine such a glorious light and the harmless birds did sing,
Each lad he took his lass in hand and went back to his haymaking.