In Scarlet Town, where I was born, there was a fair maid dwelling, made every youth cry well away, her name was Barbary Allen. It was all in the month of June, when all things they were blooming, sweet William on his deathbed lay, for the love of Barbary Allen. He sent his servant to the town, where Barbary was a dwelling, my master is sick and sent for you, if your name be Barbary Allen. So slowly, slowly she got up, and slowly she came nigh him, and all she said when she got there, young man I think you're dying. Oh yes, I'm sick and very sick, and death is on me dwelling, no better, no better I never will be, if I can't have Barbary Allen. As she was on her highway home, the birds they kept a singing, they sang so clear, they seemed to say, hard-hearted Barbary Allen. Oh father, oh father, go dig my grave, go dig it long and narrow, sweet William died for me today, I'll die for him tomorrow. She was buried in the old churchyard, and he was buried and I her, on William's grave there grew a red rose, on Barbary's grew a green briar. They grew to the top of the old church wall, till it could not grow any higher, they leapt and they tied in a true lover's knot, and the rose grew around the briar.