A Lover and His Lass

A Lover and His Lass by William Shakespeare

It was a lover and his lass
    With a hey and a ho, and a hey-nonino!
That o’er the green corn-field did pass
In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing hey ding a ding:
    Sweet lovers love the Spring.

Between the acres of the rye
These pretty country folks would lie:
This carol they began that hour,
How that life was but a flower:

And therefore take the present time
    With a hey and a ho, and a hey-nonino!
For love is crownéd with the prime
In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing hey ding a ding:
    Sweet lovers love the Spring.

This work published before January 1, 1923 is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.