Folk and Traditional Song Lyrics:
Ballad of the Waterfall

The Ballad of the Waterfall

The Ballad of the Waterfall

Come, all you that have been in love,
And sympathize with me,
For I have loved the fairest girl
That ever you did see.

Her age, it was but seventeen;
She was a figure fair and tall;
She was a handsome creature;
She wore a waterfall.

The first time I saw her,
I never will forget;
I went into a dry goods store,
Some handkerchiefs to get.

She stood behind the counter.
A glance did on me fall.
I never saw a fairer face
Nor such a waterfall.

It was at a picnic party,
I met her after that;
I quickly introduced myself;
We had a pleasant chat.

There were many other girls along,
But none of them at all
Could dance with me like the girl
Who wore the waterfall.

I saw her home -- we walked along;
I swore we'd never part,
Until she asked me to come in;
I found she'd won my heart.

While sitting there I thought
I heard A foot-step in the hall;
All sorts of colors turned this girl
That wore the waterfall.

A great, big fellow six feet tall
Came walking in the room
And when he saw me sitting there
At once began to fume.

 His air so free, it pierced my frost;
My heart it did appall;
"This is my husband," said the girl
That wore the waterfall.

Before I had time to say a word
This fellow at me flew
And while they made and held me down
They beat me black and blue.

When up I got and found I'd lost
Watch, money, chain and all,
I've never since went near a girl
That wore a waterfall.

Henry Folksongs From the Southern Highlands
Obtained from Miss Mabel Hall, Guerrant, Breathitt Countv, Kentucky, 1932.
SOF
oct97