twas in the merry month of may when green buds all were swelling sweet william on his death bed lay for the love of barbara allen he sent his servant unto her to the place where she was dwelling saying you must come to his bedside now if your name be barbara allen so slowly slowly she got up and slowly she drew nigh him and the only words to him she said young man i think you re dying as she walked slowly o er the field she heard the death bell knelling and with every stroke it seemed to say hardhearted barbara allen oh mother mother make my bed make it long and narrow sweet william died for me today and i will die for him tomorrow they buried her in the old churchyard they buried him beside her and from his grave grew a red red rose and from her grave a green briar they grew and grew to the steeple top till they could grow no higher and there they tied a true love s knot red rose around green briar