Classic Poem

" O mother, I longs to get married,
I longs to be a bride.
I longs to lay with that young man
And close to by his side.
Close to by his side,
Oh happy should I be,
For I'm young and merry and almost weary
Of my virginity."

" O daughter, I was twenty
Before that I was wed
And many a long and lonesome mile
I carried my maidenhead."
" O mother, that may be,
It's not the case by me,
For I'm young and merry and almost weary
Of my virginity."

" Daughter, daughter, whistle,
And you shall have a sheep."
" I cannot whistle, mother,
But I can sadly weep.
My maidenhead does grieve me,
That fills my heart with fear.
It is a burden, a heavy burden,
It's more than I can bear."

" Daughter, daughter, whistle,
And you shall have a cow."
" I cannot whistle, mother,
For 'deed I don't know how.
My maidenhead does grieve me,
That fills my heart with fear.
It is a burden, a heavy burden,
It's more than I can bear."

" Daughter, daughter, whistle,
And you shall have a man."
" You see very well I can."
" You nasty, impudent Jane,
I'll pull your courage down.
Take off your silks and satins,
Put on your working gown.
I'll send you to the fields,
A-tossing of the hay
With your fork and rake the hay to make
And then hear what you say."

" Mother, don't be so cruel
To send me to the fields
Where young men may entice me
And to them I may yield.
For mother, it's quite well known
I am not too young grown,
For it is a pity a maid so pretty
As I should lay alone."