GARNERS GAY

(collected from William Bartle,
via John Roberts & Tony Barrand)

Come all you garners gay
That are just now in your prime
    I wish I was in that bonny girl's arms
    Where I've been many a time:

	Where I've been many a time,
	Where I've been many a time
    I wish I was in that bonny girl's arms
	Where I've been many a time.

Green willows they will twist
Green willows they will twine
    I wish I was in that bonny girl's arms
    Where I've been many a time:

	Where I've been ...

Once I had time enough
To flourish night and day
    Until that girl, that bonny, bonny girl
    Come and stole all my time away:

	Come and stole ...

So now my whole time is gone
And I cannot plant any new
    For the very same place where the old thyme grew
    It's all over running, running rue:

	It's all over ...

Oh the rue, that running, running rue
That's not the flower for me
    I will pluck up all that running, running rue
    And plant down the sturdy oak tree:

	And plant down ...

Stand you fast, stand you fast, sturdy oak
Stand you fast, don't ever die
    I will prove as true to my own true love
    As the stars prove true to the sky:

	As the stars ...

Well, it's very nice drinking ale
But it's much better drinking wine
    And it's far better sleeping in that bonny girl's arms
    Where I've been many a time:

	Where I've been ...

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