The Nightingale

Intro: verse 1: As I was a-walking and a-rambling one day I spied a young couple, so fondly did stray And one was a young maid, so sweet and so fair And the other one was a soldier and a brave grenadier And they kissed so sweetly comforting as they clung to each other They went arm and arm down the road like sister and brother They went arm and arm down the road 'til they came to a stream And they both sat down together, love, to hear the nightingale sing verse 2: Then out of his knapsack he drew a fine fiddle And he played her such merry tunes that you ever did hear And he played her such a merry tune that the valley did ring "Ah, softly", cried the fair maid, hear the nightingale sing And they kissed so sweetly comforting as they clung to each other They went arm and arm down the road like sister and brother They went arm and arm down the road 'til they came to a stream And they both sat down together, love, to hear the nightingale sing verse 3: Oh well, I'm off to India for seven long years Drinking wine and strong whiskey instead of pale beers And if ever I return again, it will be in the spring And we'll both sit down together, love, to hear the nightingale sing And they kissed so sweetly comforting as they clung to each other They went arm and arm down the road like sister and brother They went arm and arm down the road 'til they came to a stream And they both sat down together, love, to hear the nightingale sing verse 4: "Now," says the fair maid, "will you marry me" "Oh no," says the soldier, "however can that be?" "For I've me own wife at home in me own countery And sure she is the fairest little thing that you ever did see" And they kissed so sweetly comforting as they clung to each other They went arm and arm down the road like sister and brother They went arm and arm down the road 'til they came to a stream And they both sat down together, love, to hear the nightingale sing