Once I had a sprig of thyme
It grew both night and day
Till the false young man came a-courting to me
And he stole all my thyme away
NOTE: Martha Tilston sings only one verse of what is a longer, traditional song. One version of these lyrics from 1906 are given below:
Come all you maidens fair
That are just now in your prime
I'd have you to keep your gardens clean
And let no man steal your thyme
Oh! I once had a sprig of thyme
And it flourished by night and by day
Till at length there came a false young man
And he stole my thyme all away
So now my thyme is all gone
And I cannot plant any new
For the very place where my thyme used to grow
Is all over-run with rue
And rue is a running, running root
And it runs so far underneath
That I will pluck that running, running rue
And I'll plant a jolly oak tree
Now here stands the jolly oak tree
That will neither wither or die
And I'll prove so true to my dear love
As the stars all in the sky
The gardener was standing by
And I asked him to choose for me
He chose for me the primrose, the violet and the vine
But I did them overlook all three
In June there's a red rosy bud
But that's not the flower for me;
For oftentimes I've plucked at the red rosy bud
And gained the willow tree
Green willow it will twist
Green willow it will twine
I wish that I was safe all in that young man's arms
That stole away my thyme
Green Willow I will sing
Green Willow shall be my song
That all the world may plainly see
That I once loved a false young man