Northill May Song

This song is associated with the Northill and Ickwell May Day celebrations in Bedfordshire.

Arise, Arise, you pretty fair maid,

And bring your May bush in,

For if it is gone by tomorrow, morrow morn,

You'll say we have brought you none.

We have been wandrin' all this night,

And almost all the day,

And now returning back again,

We have brought you a branch of May.

A branch of May we have bought you,

And at your door it stands,

A nothing but a sprout but it's well budded out,

By the work of our dear Lord's hands.

The clock strikes one, it's time to be gone,

No longer can we stay,

God bless you all both great and small,

And bring you a joyful May.

Collected by Fred Hamer and published in Garners Gay