twas in the merry month of may when green buds all were swelling sweet william on his death bed lay for love of barbara allen he sent his servant to the town to the place where she was dwelling saying you must come to my master dear if your name be barbara allen so slowly slowly she got up and slowly she drew nigh him and the only words to him did say young man i think you re dying he turned his face unto the wall and death was in him welling good bye good bye to my friends all be good to barbara allen when he was dead and laid in grave she heard the death bells knelling and every stroke to her did say hard hearted barbara allen oh mother oh mother go dig my grave make it both long and narrow sweet william died of love for me and i will die of sorrow and father oh father go dig my grave make it both long and narrow sweet william died on yesterday and i will die tomorrow barbara allen was buried in the old churchyard sweet william was buried beside her out of sweet william s heart there grew a rose out of barbara allen s a briar they grew and grew in the old churchyard till they could grow no higher at the end they formed a true lover s knot and the rose grew round the briar