The trees they grow high, and the leaves they do grow green
Many is the time my true love I've seen
Many an hour I've watched him all alone
He's young, but he's daily growin'

Father, dear father, you've done me great wrong
You've married me to a boy who is too young
I'm twice twelve, and he is but fourteen
He's young, but he's daily growin'

Daughter, dear daughter, I've done you no wrong
I've married you to a great lord's son
He'll be a man to you when I am dead and gone
He's young, but he's daily growin'

Father, dear father, if you see fit
We'll send my love to college for another year yet
Tie blue ribbons all around his head
To let the ladies know that he's married

One day I was looking o'er my father's castle wall
I saw all the boys a-playing at the ball
My own true love was the flower of them all
He's young, but he's daily growin'

At the age of fourteen he was a married man
Age of fifteen, the father of a son
Age of sixteen, on his grave the grass was green
Cruel death had put an end to his growin'
I'll make my love a shroud at the hole in so fine
Every stitch I put in it, the tears come tricklin' down
Once I had a true love, but now nary one
But I'll watch o'er his son while he's growin'