Little Sparrow- Ella Taylor (IN) 1916 Tolman
[Hybrid version from Some Songs Traditional in the United States; Tolman; Journal of American Folklore, Volume 29; 1916. His notes follow. Stanza 1 is from British broadside Silver Pin (a variant of sparrow stanza in "Lady's Address") and stanza two is from Must I Go Bound, another related song. A similar version was acquired by Abrams (NC). The last two stanzas are the "I Wish, I Wish" stanzas common in the UK.
R. Matteson 2017]
Why a faithless lover should be called a “true love,” and why the devoted maiden should wish to fly away to him, are not made clear.
THE LITTLE SPARROW- obtained through Mrs. Pearl H. Bartholomew from Mrs. Ella Taylor, both of Warren, Ind.
1. I wish I was a little sparrow;
I'd fly away from grief and sorrow;
I'd fly away like a turtle dove;
I'd fly away to my own true love.
2. 'Twas but last night he said to me:
“I’ll take you o'er the dark blue sea.”
But now he's gone, and left me alone,
A single maid without a home.
3. Oh grief, oh grief! I'll tell you why:
Because she has more gold than I;
He takes that other girl on his knee,
And tells her what he don't tell me.
4. I wish, I wish, but all in vain,
That my true love would come back again.
But then I know that will never be,
Till the green, green grass grows over me.