The Cuckoo's Nest (English Traditional Folksong)

As I was a-walking one morning in May

I met a pretty fair maid and unto her did say:

“For love I am inclined and I'll tell you my mind

That my inclination lies in your cuckoo's nest.”

“My darling,” said she, “I am innocent and young,

And I scarcely can believe your false deluding tongue.

Yet I see it in your eyes and it fills me with surprise

That your inclination lies in my cuckoo's nest.”

Chorus: 

Some like a girl who is pretty in the face,

And some like a girl who is slender in the waist.

But give me a girl that will wriggle and will twist:

At the bottom of the belly lies the cuckoo's nest.

“Then my darling,” says he, “if you see it in my eyes,

Then think of it as fondness and do not be surprised.

For I love you, my dear, and I'll marry you, I swear,

If you let me clap my hand on your cuckoo's nest.”

“My darling,” said she, “I can do no such thing,

For my mother often told me it was committing sin

My maidenhead to lose and my sense to be abused.

So have no more to do with my cuckoo's nest.”

Chorus: 

Some like a girl who is pretty in the face,

And some like a girl who is slender in the waist.

But give me a girl that will wriggle and will twist:

At the bottom of the belly lies the cuckoo's nest.

“My darling,” says he, “it is not committing sin.

But common sense should tell you it is a pleasing thing,

For you were brought into this world

To increase and do your best

And to help a man to heaven in your cuckoo's nest.”

“Then my darling,” says she, “I cannot you deny,

For you've surely won my heart by the roving of your eye.

Yet I see it in your eyes that your courage is surprised,

So gently lift your hand in my cuckoo's nest.”

Chorus: 

Some like a girl who is pretty in the face,

And some like a girl who is slender in the waist.

But give me a girl that will wriggle and will twist:

At the bottom of the belly lies the cuckoo's nest.

So this couple they got married and soon they went to bed

And now this pretty fair maid has lost her maidenhead.

In a small country cottage they increase and do their best

And he often claps his hand on her cuckoo's nest.

Chorus: 

Some like a girl who is pretty in the face,

And some like a girl who is slender in the waist.

But give me a girl that will wriggle and will twist:

At the bottom of the belly lies the cuckoo's nest.

Barry Dransfield arrangement from the album Morris On

http://www.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/~zierke/guvnor/songs/cuckoosnest.html