The Butcher’s Boy

she went upstairs to make her bed

and not one word to her mother said

her mother she went upstairs too

saying, daughter, oh daughter, what troubles you?

oh mother, oh mother, i cannot tell

that butcher's boy i love so well

he courted me my life away

and now at home he will not stay

there is a place in london town

where that butcher's boy goes and sits down

he takes that strange girl on his knee

he tells her things he don't tell me

her father he comes home from work

saying, where is my daughter, she looks so hurt

he went upstairs to give her hope

found her hanging from a rope

so he took his knife and he cut her down

and in her bosom these words were found

go dig my grave both wide and deep

place a marble slab at my head and my feet

and on my stone, place a snow white dove

to warn this world i died for love