Trees they grow high and the leaves they do grow green.
Many is the time my true love I've seen.
Many an hour I've watched him all alone.
He's young but he's daily growin'.
Father, dear Father, You've done me great wrong.
You've married me to a boy who is too young.
I'm twice twelve and he is but fourteen.
He's young but he's daily growin'.
Daughter, dear daughter, I've done you no wrong.
I've married you to a great lord's son.
He'll be a man to you when I am dead and gone.
He's young, but he's daily growin'.
Father, dear father, if you see fit.
We'll send my love to college for one year yet.
Tie blue ribbons all around his head
To let the ladies know that he's married.
One day I was looking o'er my father's castle wall
Saw'r all the boys aplayin' at the ball.
My own true love was the flower of them all.
He's young, but he's daily growin'
instrumental...
At the age of fourteen, he was a married man.
Age of fifteen, the father of a son.
Age of sixteen, on his grave the grass was green.
Cruel death had put an end to his growin'.
I'll make my love a shroud of the holland so fine.
Every stitch I put in it the tears come trickling down.
Once I had a true love but now I've ne'er one.
But I'll watch o'er his son while he's growin'...