Here's the version we sing - we call it
"Walking At Night"

Walking at night, along the meadow way,
Home from the fair (or dance) beside my maiden gay
Walking at night, along the meadow way
Home from the fair, beside my maiden gay

HEY!
chorus:
Sto-do-le, sto-de-le, sto-de-la, pum-pa,
Sto-de-le. pum-pa, sto-de-le, pum-pa.
Sto-do-le, sto-de-le, sto-de-la, pum-pa,
Sto-de-le. pum-pa, pum, pum, pum.

Nearing the wood, we heard the nightingale
Sweetly it helped me tell my begging tale.
Nearing the wood, we heard the nightingale
Sweetly it helped me tell my begging tale

HEY! chorus

Many the stars that brightly shone above
But none so bright as her one word of love
Many the stars that brightly shone above
But none so bright as her one word of love

HEY! chorus

The "story" is that the young man singing is supposed to be working the pump, but keeps daydreaming about his sweetheart. The boss (or perhaps his mother) keeps catching him drifting away and shouts the "HEY Sto-de-le..." part, but of course he daydreams some more (another verse).

I was mistaken earlier about the man/woman part thing - that's another song, about a spinning wheel instead.

campfire