Sweet Nightingale

Nightingale

The Nightingale , also known as Rufous and Common Nightingale, is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but is now more generally considered to be an Old World flycatcher, Muscicapidae...

, also known as "Down in those valleys below" is a Cornish

Cornwall

Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...

 folk song which probably dates from the seventeenth century, and is said to be a translation from the ancient Cornish tongue

Cornish language

Cornish is a Brythonic Celtic language and a recognised minority language of the United Kingdom. Along with Welsh and Breton, it is directly descended from the ancient British language spoken throughout much of Britain before the English language came to dominate...

.

Lyrics

Sweet Nightingale

'My sweetheart, come along!

Don't you hear the fond song,

The sweet notes of the nightingale flow?

Don't you hear the fond tale

Of the sweet nightingale,

As he sings in those valleys below?

So be not afraid

To walk in the shade,

Nor yet in those valleys below,

Nor yet in those valleys below.

'Pretty Betsy, don't fail,

For I'll carry your pail,

Safe home to your cot as we go;

You shall hear the fond tale

Of the sweet nightingale,

As he sings in those valleys below.'

But she was afraid

To walk in the shade,

To walk in those valleys below,

To walk in those valleys below.

'Pray let me alone,

I have hands of my own;

Along with you I will not go,

To hear the fond tale

Of the sweet nightingale,

As he sings in those valleys below;

For I am afraid

To walk in the shade,

To walk in those valleys below,

To walk in those valleys below.'

'Pray sit yourself down

With me on the ground,

On this bank where sweet primroses grow;

You shall hear the fond tale

Of the sweet nightingale,

As he sings in those valleys below;

So be not afraid

To walk in the shade,

Nor yet in those valleys below,

Nor yet in those valleys below.'

This couple agreed;

They were married with speed,

And soon to the church they did go.

She was no more afraid

For to walk in the shade,

Nor yet in those valleys below:

Nor to hear the fond tale

Of the sweet nightingale,

As he sang in those valleys below,

As he sang in those valleys below.