A pretty maid went a-maying,
And roamed the fields afar;
And everywhere she went,
With all the world content,
She heard the song-birds saying:
"How pretty, dear, you are.
Pretty pretty dear, pretty pretty dear,
How pretty, dear, you are."

Her lap with flow'rs was laden,
She rested by a brook,
She saw her face below,
And 'mid the water's flow
A voice said to the maiden:
"How pretty, dear, you look.
Pretty pretty dear, pretty pretty dear,
How pretty, dear, you look."

Her true love stood beside her
She did not say him nay,
But still, as in a dream,
She gazed into the stream,
While he with fond words plied her,
And stole her heart away.
"Pretty pretty dear, I've lov'd you for a year,
I'll marry you when I may."