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Willie Down By the Pond 
Willie Down By the Pond 
They tell me 'tis sinful to flirt; They say my heart is of stone; They tell me to speak to him kind, Or else leave the poor boy alone. 
They tell me he's only a boy, But I'm sure he's much older than me, And if they would leave us alone, I'm sure more happy we'd be. 
I remember one night when he said That I was dearer than his life; He called me his darling, his pet, And asked me to be his wife. 
"Oh, Willie," I said with a sigh, "I'm sure I'Il have to say no!" He then todk my hand for a while And said, "Good-bye, I must go. 
"Oh, darling, oh, darling," he said, "Your heart must be carved of stone;" He took a white rose from my hair And left me standing alone. 
The next poor Willie was found, He was drowned in the pond by the mill; The clear, placid water so fair Lay round near the brink of the hill. 
Those blue eyes forever were closed, And deeply the golden head fair, And close to his dear lips he held The white rose he took from my hair. 
"Oh, Willie, oh, Willie, come back, I'll ever be faithful to you; Oh, Willie, oh, Willie, come back, I loved you so fondly and true!" 
From Ballads and Songs, Henry 
Collected from Gene Wilson, VA DT #772 Laws G19 oct96