Barbara Allen- (KY) 1936 Sulzer
[No informant named. From Twenty-five Kentucky Folk Ballads by Elmer Griffith Sulzer- 1936, p. 16. Bronson No. 113.
R. Matteson 2015]
[Barbara Allen] From Breathitt County, KY. Collected by Sulzer, 1936
1. All thru the month of May,
When the lonesome buds were swelling,
Sweet William lay on his death-bed,
For the love of Barbara Allen.
2. He sent his servants thru the town,
To her own father's dwelling,
"Sweet William's sick and sent for you,
If your name be Barbara Allen."
3. Slowly, slowly, she got up,
And slowly, she went to him,
But all she said when she got there,
Was "Young Man I think you're dying."
4. "I'm sick, I'm sick, I'm very sick,
And death within me's dwelling,
I ne'er will see my time any more,
If I don't get Barbara Allen"'
5. "Oh, don't you remember in yonder town,
At your own father's dwelling,
When you treated all the ladies around,
And you slighted Barbara Allen."
6. "Yes, I remember in yonder old town,
At my own father's dwelling,
I treated alt the ladies around,
But I love only Barbara Allen."
7. Slowly, slowly, she got up,
And slowly she went from him,
She had not gone more than three miles or more,
Till she heard the death-bells ringing'
8. They rung so loud, they spoke so plain,
"Head-hearted Barbara Allen,"
She looked to the east, she looked to the west,
Till she saw the pale corpse coming.
9. "Oh, bring me here that lovely corpse,
Till I can gaze upon him,
Sweet William died for love today,
And I must die for sorrow."
10. "On yonder point go dig my grave,
Go dig it deep and narrow,
Sweet William died for me today,
And I must die tomorrow."
11. Sweet William was buried in the old church yard
And Barbara not far from him.
From sweet William's grave sprang a red, red rose
And a greenbriar out of Barbara's.
12. They grew and they grew to the old church top
Till they could not grow any higher,
They wrapt and they bound in a true lover's knot
Red rosie and greenbriar.