As I went a walking one morning in May I met a young couple so far did we stray And one was a young maid so sweet and so fair And the other was a soldier and a brave Grenadier And they kissed so sweet and comfortable As they clung to each other Oh darling so long ago Like sister and brother And one was a young maid so sweet and so fair And the other was a soldier and a brave Grenadier Out of his knapsack he took a fine fiddle He played her such merry tunes that you ever did hear He played her such merry tunes that the valley did ring And softly cried the fair maid as the nightingale sings And they kissed so sweet and comfortable As they clung to each other Oh darling so long ago Like sister and brother And one was a young maid so sweet and so fair And the other was a soldier and a brave Grenadier And then, says the fair maid, will you marry me? Oh no, says the soldier, however can this be? For I've my own wife at home in my own country And she is the finest little maid that you ever did see