A Lady Fair In a Garden

A lady fair in a garden walkin', when a well dressed fellow came ridin' by,
He stepped up to her, all for to view her, An he said "Fair lady, would you fancy I?"
"I am no lady but a poor maiden, an a poor girl of low degree,
Therefore young man seek another sweetheart, I am not fitting your serving maid to be.

And oh, kind sir, I have a lover, tho' 'tis seven long years since I did him see.
And seven years more I will wait upon him, for if he's living he'll return to me."
"Perhaps your lover is dead or murdered, or maybe he's riding all over the lands.
Or maybe he is another girl's husband, and he will never return to your hands."

"O, if he's married, I wish him happy, and if he's dead, sure, I wish him rest,
No other young man will e'er enjoy me, for he's the one that I love the best."
He put his hand into his bosom, his lily white fingers they were long and small,
He took out the ring that was broke between them, and when she saw that she down did fall.

He took her up all in his arms, he gave her kisses most tenderly,
Saying "You're my jewel and I'm your single lover, and now at last I've won home to thee.
I am you true and your single lover, you thought I was riding all over the land.
But I've passed over all my toil and trouble, and I've come home, love, to ask for yer hand."

Come all young maidens, now heed my story, don't slight your true love when the desert he rides,
And he'll come home and make you his own, he'll make true the dream that in your heart hides.

Irish Folksong

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