Green Broom

There was a man and he lived in the east
And his trade it was cutting down brooms. green brooms;
He had a son, his name it was John
And he stayed in bed until noonday, noon,
And he stayed in bed until noon.

The father arose and up to John goes
And swore he would burn his room, gay room,
If he didn't rise and sharpen his knives
And go down to the wood to cut brooms, green brooms
And go down to the wood to cut brooms.

So Johnny went on down through the green wood
Till he came to a castle of fame, fame, fame;
He spied a maid and stood at the gate
Crying: "Fair maid, do you want any brooms, green brooms?
Fair maid, do you want any brooms?
This lady being up in her window so high,
She spied this young man so terribly neat, neat, neat;
She said to her maid; Go down to the gate
And call in this young man with his brooms, green brooms,
And call in this young man with his brooms.

So Johnny went into this castle so great
And entered this lady's room, gay room;
She gave him a chair and bade him sit down
Crying: You're welcome, young man, with your brooms, green brooms,
You are welcome young man with your brooms.

They sent for the priest and married they were
All in this lady's room' gay room, room, room;
So boys. will we drink. or what do you think?
There is nothing like cutting down brooms, green brooms.
There is nothing like cutting down brooms.

Recorded on Folk Songs of Britain, Kennedy, Lomax et al
RG