THE UNQUIET GRAVE—G
[_]
From the singing of a wandering minstrel and story-teller
of the parish of Cury, Cornwall. After the last stanza followed
“a stormy kind of duet between the maiden and her
lover's ghost, who tries to persuade the maid to accompany
him to the world of shadows.” Hunt, Popular Romances
of the West of England, First Series, 1865, p. xvi.
1
‘Cold blows the wind to-day, sweetheart,
Cold are the drops of rain;
The first truelove that ever I had
In the green wood he was slain.
2
‘'Twas down in the garden-green, sweetheart,
Where you and I did walk;
The fairest flower that in the garden grew
Is witherd to a stalk.
3
‘The stalk will bear no leaves, sweetheart,
The flowers will neer return,
And since my truelove is dead and gone,
What can I do but mourn?’
4
A twelvemonth and a day being gone,
The spirit rose and spoke:
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
5
‘My body is clay-cold, sweetheart,
My breath smells heavy and strong,
And if you kiss my lily-white lips
Your time will not be long.’
