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 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 all away 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 The primrose I did not like Because it flowered so soon The Violet, and vine I did overlook And I vowed I stopped in June sky 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