This English folksong has a lovely melody for such a sad song. My first encounter was through harmonized version by Robbie O’Connell. Here it is in an version by the group Tanna.
Now a week before Easter the morn bright and clear,
The sun it shone brightly and keen blew the air.
I went up in the forest to gather fine flowers,
But the forest won’t yield me no roses.
The roses are red the leaves they are green,
The bushes and briars are pleasant to be seen,
Where the small birds are singing and changing their notes
Down among the wild beasts in the forest.
