Rue and the Thyme, The (The Rose and the Thyme)

DESCRIPTION: Told mostly in floating lyrics: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry that my fortune's been so bad, Since I've fa'en in love wi' a young sailor lad." They exchange letters and flowers; she says he may keep his rose and she will keep her thyme.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1905 (Greig/Duncan1)
KEYWORDS: courting rejection virginity floatingverses
FOUND IN: Britain(Scotland(Aber))
REFERENCES (4 citations):
Ord-BothySongsAndBallads, p. 187, "The Rose and the Thyme" (1 text)
Greig-FolkSongInBuchan-FolkSongOfTheNorthEast #87, p. 1, "The Rue and the Thyme"; #84, p. 2, "The Rue and the Thyme"; #72, p. 2, ("Keep ye your red rue, and I'll keep my thyme") (2 texts plus 1 fragment)
Greig/Duncan1 52, Greig/Duncan8 Addenda, "The Young Sailor Lad" (6 texts, 5 tunes)
Greig/Duncan6 1139, "The Rue and the Thyme" (10 texts, 4 tunes)
Roud #858
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The Wagoner's Lad" (lyrics)
cf. "Green Grows the Laurel (Green Grow the Lilacs)" (lyrics)
cf. "Garners Gay (Rue; The Sprig of Thyme)" (theme, symbols, lyrics)
ALTERNATE TITLES:
I'm Sorry, I'm Sorry
NOTES [37 words]: Greig/Duncan1: "Often heard sung fifty and sixty years ago. Noted 1905."
Greig #87 quoting Mr Jas Mackie: "It is over 70 years since I first picked up snatches of this song, which was very common about that time." [1909] - BS
Last updated in version 2.6
File: Ord187

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