t was in the merry month of may when flowers were a bloomin sweet willie on his deathbed lay for the love of barbara allen he sent his servant to the town the town where she did dwell in saying master dear has sent me here if your name is barbara allen then slowly slowly she got up and slowly she went to him and all she said when she got there young man i think you re dying oh don t you remember the other day when we were in the tavern you drank your health to the ladies there and you slighted barbara allen he turned his face unto the wall he turned his back upon her so long farewell to all my friends be kind to barbara allen she looked to the east she looked to the west she saw his corpse a comin oh sit him down for me she cried that i may gaze upon him  the more she looked the more she grieved she bursted out to cryin sayin pick me up and carry me home for i feel like i am dyin they buried willie in the old churchyard and barbara in the new one from willie s grave there grew a rose from barbara s a green briar they grew and grew to the old church wall and could not grow no higher and there they died in a true love knot the rosebush and the briar