GYPSY'S WARNING



Do not trust him, gentle lady, though his voice be low and sweet

Heed not him who kneels before you, gently pleading at thy feet

Now thy life is in its morning; cloud not this thy happy lot

Listen to the gypsy's warning, gentle lady, heed him not

Listen to the gypsy's warning, gentle lady, head him not



Do not turn so coldly from me, I would only guard thy youth

From his stern and withering power, I would only tell the truth

I would shield thee from all danger, save thee from tempter's

snare

Lady shun the dark-eyed stranger, I have warned thee, now beware

Lady shun the dark-eyed stranger, I have warned thee, now beware



Lady, once there lived a maiden, pure and bright, and like thee,

fair

But he wooed and wooed and won her, filed her gentle heart with

care

Then he heeded not her weeping, nor cared he her life to save

Soon she perished, now she's sleeping in the cold and silent grave...



Keep thy gold, I do not wish it. Lady, I have prayed for this

For the hour that I might foil him, rob him of expected bliss

Gentle lady, do not wonder at my words,so cold and wild

Lady, in that green grave yonder lies the gypsy's only child



Lady, do not heed her warning. Trust me, thou shalt find me true

Constant as the light of morning I will ever be to you

Lady, I will not deceive thee, fill thy guileless heart with woe

Trust me, lady, and believe me; sorrow thou shall never know



Stranger, I've been thinking sadly, how you promised, wooed and

won

How her innocent love gladly heard fair words, built hopes

thereon

Now she's in the cold ground sleeping by the river's moaning wave

And the willows now are weeping o'er that maiden's early grave



Warnings from that grave do tell me, and a living voice I hear

Of a wooer who would seek me, pleading by a love sincere

That without me, life is sorrow; take this hand and heart of mine

Promise bliss for every morrow, then forsake me, let me pine



Stranger, I will heed the warning coming from the river's side

Flowers you strew there in the morning, I'll renew at eventide

There we'll walk, but not together, for the gypsy tells me true

Mourns her child in tears that smother every kindly thought of

you



Lady, every joy would perish, pleasures all would wither fast

If no heart could love and cherish in this world of storm and

blast

E'en the stars that gleam above thee shine the brightest in the

night

So would he who fondly loves thee, in the darkness be thy light



Down beside the flowing river where the dark green willow weeps

Where the leafy branches quiver, there a gentle maiden sleeps

In the morn a lonely stranger comes and lingers many hours

Lady, he's no heartless ranger, for he strews her grave with flowers





Lady, heed thee not her warning, lay thy soft white hand in mine

For I seek no fairer laurel than the constant love of thine

When the silver moonlight brightens, thou shalt slumber on my

breast

Tender words thy soul shall lighten, lull thy spirit into rest



Down beside yon flowing river, there bereft where willows weep

There must lie that fair one ever. Stranger, why these vigils

keep?

Why go there alone and early, all those mornings flowers to

strew?

Did you love, in truth, so dearly? Do you grieve as others do?



@gypsy @courtship @death

printed in Folk Songs Out of Wisconsin

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