The Nightingale
Gather round lads!
As I was out walking one morning in May
I spied a young couple who fondly did stray
One was a young maid, so sweet and so fair
And the other was a soldier
and a bold Grenadier
And they kiss, so sweet and comforting
as they clung to each other
Sing along boys!
They went arm and arm along the road
like sister and brother
They went arm and arm along the road
till they came to a stream
And they both sat down together
to hear the nightingale sing

Out of his knapsack
he took a fine fiddle
and he played such a merry tone
that you ever did hear
and he played such a merry tone
that the valley did ring
Oh soft cried the fair maid
to hear the nightingale sing
And they kiss, so sweet and comforting
as they clung to each other
They went arm and arm along the road
like sister and brother
They went arm and arm along the road
till they came to a stream
And they both sat down together
to hear the nightingale sing

Well I'm off, to India
for seven long years
Drinkin' wine and whiskey
instead of small beers
And if I return again
it will be in the spring
And we'll both sit down together
to hear the nightingale sing

Well then said the fair maid
will ya not marry me?
Oh no, said the soldier
how well can that be?
For I have my own wife
on the banks of the deep
And she's the fairest damsel that you ever did see
And they kiss, so sweet and comforting
as they clung to each other
They went arm and arm along the road
like sister and brother
They went arm and arm along the road
till they came to a stream
And they both sat down together
to hear the nightingale sing