The Dubliners - The Nightingale lyrics

As I went a walking one morning in May
I met a young couple so fondly did stray
And one was a young maid so sweet and so fair
And the other was a soldier
And a brave grenadier
And they kissed so sweet and comforting
As they clung to each other

They went arm-in-arm along the road
Like sister and brother
They went arm-in-arm along the road till
They came to a stream
And they both sat down together, Love
To hear the nightingale sing

Well, out of his knapsack he
Took a fine fiddle
He played her such merry tunes
That you ever did hear
He played her such merry tunes
That the valley did ring
And softly cried the fair maid
As the nightingale sings
And they kissed so sweet and comforting
As they clung to each other

They went arm-in-arm along the road
Like sister and brother
They went arm-in-arm along the road till
They came to a stream
And they both sat down together, Love
To hear the nightingale sing

Oh, I'm off to India for seven long years
Drinking wines and strong whiskies
Instead of strong beer
And if ever I return again
'twill be in the spring
And we'll both sit down together love
To hear the nightingale sing

They went arm-in-arm along the road
Like sister and brother
They went arm-in-arm along the road till
They came to a stream
And they both sat down together, Love
To hear the nightingale sing

"Well then, " says the fair maid
"Will you marry me?"
"Oh, no, " says the soldier
"however can that be?"
For I've my own wife at home
And in my own country
And she is the finest little maid
That you ever did see

They went arm-in-arm along the road
Like sister and brother
They went arm-in-arm along the road till
They came to a stream
And they both sat down together, Love
To hear the nightingale sing