3
Oh stay for me, departed youth,
my true love, stay for me;
Stay till I've deck'd my bridal bed,
and I will follow thee.
This is the flow'ry wreath he wove,
to deck his bride, dear youth!
And this the ring with which my love
to me did plight his troth;
And this dear ring I was to keep,
and with it to be wed———
But here, alas! I sigh and weep
to deck my bridal bed.
A blythsome knight came riding by,
and, as the bright moon shone,
He saw her on the green turf lie
and heard her piteous moan;
For loud she cried, O stay, my love,
my true love, stay for me;
Stay till I've deck'd my bridal bed,
and I will follow thee.
O say, he cry'd, fair maiden, say,
what cause doth work thy woe,
That on a cold grave thou dost lay,
And fast thy tears o'erflow?'
Oh! I have cause to weep for woe,
For my true love is dead;
And thus, while fast my tears o'erflow,
I deck my bridal bed.
