STRAWBERRY LANE
(learned in the 1960s from Jean Ritchie;.the refrain contains a bit of hidden flower-lore, where "Every rose grows merry and fine"
.contains the herbs Rosemary and Thyme as hidden sounds
.and thyme refers to virginity and rosemary to loss of virginity)
As I was a-walkin' up Strawberry Lane
(He)You'll have for to make me a cambric shirt
You'll have for to wash it in a very deep well
You'll have for to hang it on yonder green thorn
(She)Now since you have been so hard with me
You'll have for to buy me an acre of land
You'll have for to plow it with a unicorn horn
You'll have for to thrash it in an egg-shell
You'll have for to reap it with a sickle of leather
And then after you have finished your work
(from miriam berg's folksong collection)
O ev'ry rose grows merry and fine
I chanced for to meet with a pretty fair maid (or handsome young man)
Who wanted to be a true lover of mine.
O ev'ry rose grows merry and fine
Without any seam or needle work (or And ev'ry stitch must be finicle work)
And then you shall be a true lover of mine.
O ev'ry rose grows merry and fine
Where water never was nor rain ever fell
Before you can be a true lover of mine.
O ev'ry rose grows merry and fine
Which never bore blossom since Adam was born
Before you can be a true lover of mine.
O ev'ry rose grows merry and fine
Perhaps I can be as hard with thee
And then you shall be a true lover of mine.
O ev'ry rose grows merry and fine
Between the salt water and the ocean sand
And then you can be a true lover of mine.
O ev'ry rose grows merry and fine
And plant it all over with one grain of corn
Before you can be a true lover of mine.
O ev'ry rose grows merry and fine
And bring it to market in a thimble or bell
Before you can be a true lover of mine.
O ev'ry rose grows merry and fine
And bind it all up with a peacock feather
Before you can be a true lover of mine.
O ev'ry rose grows merry and fine
Come back and you can get your cambric shirt
Before you can be a true lover of mine.