I Didn't Get Up on a May Morning
Lyrics: Maureen S. O'Brien, Dec. 11, 2000
(Ttto: "Johnny o' Braidslee"


I didn't get up on a May morning,
Nor ventured I outside,
For I knew  that a ballad would ensue
And an ill deed me betide, tide,
And an ill deed me betide.

I heard a knock at my own bower door 
And a tirling at the pin,
And none so unready as me myself 
To let my own doom in, in,
To let my own doom in.

"Get up, get up, my own daughter dear,
You have lain o'erlong in the day.
Plans to overhear, and a foe to fear,
And your dear lord to wed today, -day,
And your dear lord to wed today."

"I won't get up, and I shan't get up,
And I'll not get up," said I, 
"For if I should wed on a May morning, 
Then a maid I fear to die, die, 
A maid I fear to die.

"For my lord might meet with his true love, 
And me, I am wondrous brown --
Or my lord might be my lost brother dear,
Or my sister his first wife found, found, 
My sister his first wife found."















"If your lord should meet 
         with his own true love,
If by sword or penknife you fall, 
We'll plant in your heart a fair young briar
To grow by the churchyard wall, wall, 
To grow by the churchyard wall."

They tried to trick me between verses
But still I refused to wed,
So my mother sighed to the guests outside
That I'd asked her to make my bed, bed,
I'd asked her to make my bed.

But I won't die, and I shan't die, 
And I never could pine away,
And the grass won't grow green over my grave 
Until my hair's grown gray, gray, 
Until my hair's grown gray.

So I dressed myself in men's array 
While the moon was dark above, 
And I ran off to the merry greenwood
Though the songs say I died for love, love,
The songs say I died for love.