A traditional text I set to the 17th century English Country Dance "Epping Forest."
lyrics
Come lasses and lads take leave of your dads and away to the maypole hie
For every fair has a sweetheart there and a fiddler standing by
Then Willie will dance with Jane and Johnny has got his Joan
And every maid shall trip it and trip it and trip it up and down
"Begin," says Matt. "Aye, aye," says Nat, "We'll lead up Packington's Pound."
"No, no," says Nolly, and so says Dolly: "We'll first have Sellinger's Round."
Then every man began to foot it round about
And every maid did step it and step it and step it in and out.
"You're off!" says Dick. "Not I," says Nick, "Twas the fiddler played it wrong!"
"Tis true," says Hugh and so says Sue, and so says everyone.
The fiddler then began to play the tune again.
And every maid did jig it and jig it and jig it to the men.
Well there they did stay for the whole of the day and they tired the fiddler quite.
With dancing and play without any pay from morning until night.
They told the fiddler then that they'd pay him for his play,
And each a tuppence, a tuppence they gave him and then they went away.
"Goodnight," says Harry. "Goodnight," says Mary, "Goodnight," says Dolly to John.
"Goodnight," says Sue to her sweetheart Hugh, "Goodnight," says everyone.
Some walked and some did run, some loitered on the way,
And they bound themselves with kisses twelve to meet next holiday.