The trees they do grow high,
And the leaves they do grow green,
But the time is gone and past, my love,
That you and I have see.
It's a cold winter's night, my love,
And here I must abide alone.
My bonny lad was young, but a growing.
Verse 2
"O, Father, dearest Father,
I fear you've done me wrong,
For you've married me to a bonny boy,
But I fear he is too young."
"O, my daughter, dearest daughter,
If you stay at home a time with me,
A lady you shall be, while he is growing?"
Verse 3
"We'll send him to a college,
But for a year or two,
And then perhaps in time, my love,
Into a man he'll grow.
I will buy you a ribbon blue
To tie about his bonny waist,
To let the ladies know that he's married."
Verse 4
At the age of sixteen,
He was a married man,
And at the age of seventeen,
He was father of a son,
And at the age of eighteen,
His grave it was growing green,
And that did put an end to his growing.
Verse 5
She made her love a shroud
Of the holland, O so fine,
And ev'ry stitch she put in it,
Her tears came trickling down.
"O, once I had a sweetheart,
But now I have got never a one,
So fare you well my true love for ever."
Verse 6
The trees they do grow high,
And the leaves they do grow green,
But the time is gone and past, my love,
That you and I have see.
It's a cold winter's night, my love,
And here I must abide alone.
My bonny lad was young, but a growing.