THE NIGHTINGALE              Trad.


   D                    A          D   
As I went a-walking one morning in May
                                         A
I spied a young couple, so fond they did stray.
D                                     A
One was a pretty maid so proud and so fair
        D           G              A          D
And the other was a soldier, and a brave Grenadier.

Ch:
         D                   G                  A             D
And they kissed so sweet and comforting as they clung to each other.
                                                    A
They went arm-in-arm along the road like sister and brother.
          D                                             A
They went arm-in-arm along the road till they came to a stream,
          D               G                         A           D
Then they both sat down together, love, to hear the nightingale sing.



Then out of his knapsack he drew a fine fiddle,
And he played her such merry tunes as you ever did hear.
He played her such merry tunes as the valleys did ring.
"Oh hark!" cried the maiden, "Hear the nightingale sing!"


"Oh soldier, oh soldier, will you marry me?"
"Oh no, pretty maiden, that never can be
For I've a wife of my own at home in my own counteree
And she is the sweetest little thing that you ever did see"


Now I'm off to India for seven long years,
Drinking wine and strong whiskey instead of small beers,
But if ever I return again it will be in the spring,
And we'll both sit down together, love, to hear the nightingale sing.