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The Wooing

A youth went faring up and down,
Alack and well-a-day.
He fared him to the market town,
Alack and well-a-day.
And there he met a maiden fair,
With hazel eyes and auburn hair--
His heart went from him then and there
Alack and well-a-day.

She posies sold right merrily,
Alack and well-a-day;
But not a flower was fair as she,
Alack and well-a-day.
He bought a rose and sighed a sigh
"Ah, dearest maiden, would that I
Might dare the seller too to buy,"
Alack and well-a-day.

She tossed her head--the coy coquette,
Alack and well-a-day.
"I'm not sir in the market yet"
Alack and well-a-day.
Your love must cool upon a shelf;
Tho' much I sell for gold and pelf
I'm yet too young to sell myself
Alack and well-a-day.

The youth was filled with sorrow sore
Alack and well-a-day;
And looked he at the maid once more
Alack and well-a-day.
Then loud he cried, "Fair maiden, if
Too young to sell, now as I live,
You're not too young yourself to give"
Alack and well-a-day.

The little maid cast down her eyes
Alack and well-a-day,
And many a flush began to rise
Alack and well-a-day.
"Why, since you are so bold," she said,
"I doubt not you are highly bred,
So take me!" and the twain were wed.
Alack and well-a-day.

This poem appears in the following book(s):

Lyrics of Lowly Life, Majors and Minors