Paper of Pins

I'll give to you a paper of pins,
And that's the way that love begins,
If you will marry me,
If you will marry me.

I'll not accept a paper of pins,
If that's the way that love begins,
And I won't marry you,
And I won't marry you.

I'll give to you a coach and four,
That you may ride from door to door, etc.

I'll give to you a little lap dog,
To carry with you when you go abroad, etc.

I'll give to you a pacing horse,
That paced these hills from cross to cross, etc.
I'll give to you a coach and six
With every horse as black as pitch, etc.

I'll give to you a gown of green,
That you may shine as any queen, etc.

I'll give to you a dress of red,
All bound around with golden thread, etc.

I'll give to you a blue silk gown,
With golden tassels all around, etc.

I'll give to you my hand and heart,
That we may marry and never part, etc.

I'll give to you the keys of my chest,
That you may have gold at your request,
If you will marry me,
If you will marry me.
Oh, yes, I'll accept the key to your chest,
That I may have gold at my request,
And I will marry you,
And I will marry you.

And now I see that money is all,
And woman's love is nothing at all;
So I'll not marry you,
So I'll not marry you.

I'm determined to be an old maid,
Take my stool and live in the shade,
And marry no one at all,
And marry no one at all.

from American Ballads and Folk Songs, Lomax
RG