The Mistletoe Bough.

X:1
T:The Mistletoe Bough.
B:Everyman's Book of English Ballads. Edited by Roy palmer.
S:
M:6/8
L:1/8
K:Bb
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w:The mist-le-toe hung in the ca-stle hall, The
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w:hol-ly branch shone on the old *oak wall; And the
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w:ba-ron's re-tai-ners were blithe and gay, And
GFG (AG)A|(cB)B B2 F|
w:keep-ing their Christ-mas * ho-li-*day. The
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w:bar-on be-held with a fa-ther's pride His
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w:beau-ti-ful child, young Lo-vell's bride, While
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w:she with her bri-ght eyes seemed to be The
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w:star of the goo-dly com-pa-ny.
B2 B cBc|d5/2-d2z|
w:Oh, the mist-le-toe bough,
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w:Oh, the mist-le-toe bough.
W:The mistletoe hung in the castle hall,
W:The holly branch shone on the old oak wall;
W:And the baron's retainers were blithe and gay,
W:And keeping their Christmas holiday.
W:The baron beheld with a father's pride
W:His beautiful child, young Lovell's bride.
W:While she with her bright eyes seemed to be
W:The star of the goodly company.
W:Oh, the mistletoe bough,
W:Oh, the mistletoe bough.
W:
W:'I'm weary of dancing now,' she cried,
W:'Here, tarry a moment, I'll hide, I'll hide;
W:And Lovell, be sure thou'rt the first to trace
W:The clue to my secret hiding place.'
W:Away she ran and her friends began
W:Each tower to search, each nook to scan;
W:And young Lovell cried, 'Oh, where doest thou hide?
W:I am lonely without thee, my own dear bride.'
W:Oh, the mistletoe bough,
W:Oh, the mistletoe bough.
W:
W:They sought her that night and they sought her next day,
W:They sought her in vain till a week passed away;
W:In the highest, the lowest, the loneliest spot,
W:Young Lovell sought wildly but found her not.
W:Then years flew by, and their grief at last
W:Was told as a sorrowful tale of the past;
W:And when Lovell appeared the children cried:
W:'See the old man weeps for his fairy bride.'
W:Oh, the mistletoe bough,
W:Oh, the mistletoe bough.
W:
W:At length an old chest that had long lain hid
W:Was found in the castle; they raised the lid,
W:And a skeleton form lay mouldering there,
W:In the bridal wreath of that lady fair.
W:Oh sad was her fate, in sportive jest
W:She hid from her lord in the old oak chest;
W:It closed with a spring, and her bridal bloom
W:Lay withering there in a living tomb.
W:Oh, the mistletoe bough,
W:Oh, the mistletoe bough.
W: