There is a fine old English ballad entitled Green Grow the Laurels. Several stanzas go like this:

Green grows the laurel, soft falls the dew
Sorry am I to be parted from you
Sorry am I that you proved untrue
And you changed the green laurel for the violet so blue

You walked past my window both early and late
The looks that you give me they make my heart ache
The looks that you give me they caused me to rue
That you changed the green laurel for the violet so blue


I used to love hearing my father singing this old ballad in the old NL dialect. Here is his version:

Green Grow da Lardels

Green grow da lardels and soft falls da dew
Sad was me art when I parted from you
And in the next midden I lows you'll prove true
Niva change the green lardels for the rid white and blue

She passed by me window both hearly and late
Da looks dat she gid me fair made me art ache
Da looks dat she gid me fair caused me to rue
Niva change the green lardels for the rid white an blue

Quite colorful don't you think?


John Cornick
Halifax, Nova Scotia
April 29, 2016