There was a lady and a lady gay
Of children she had three
She sent them away to the north country
For to learn their grammery
They'd not been gone but a very short time
Scarcely three weeks and a day
When death cruel death came hearkening
And stole those babes away
There is a king in heaven cried she
And a king of high degree
Send back send back my own pretty babes
Send back my babes to me
She set a bed in the topmost room
And on it she laid a white sheet
And over all a golden spread
That they much better might sleep
She set a table with the white linen
And on it she placed bread and wine
Come eat come drink my own pretty babes
Come eat come drink of mine
We cannot sleep in your bed mother
Nor can we drink of your wine
For yonder stands our Savior dear
To him we must resign
Green grows the grass o'er our heads mother
And cold the clay beneath our feet
And every tear you weep for us
It wets our winding sheet