The Sprig of Thyme (song)
Encyclopedia
Sprig of Thyme, The Seeds of Love, Maiden’s Lament, Garners Gay, Let No Man Steal Your Thyme or Rue (Roud
#3) is a traditional British
and Irish
folk Ballad that uses fairly obvious botanical and other symbolism to warn young people of the dangers in taking false lovers. The song was first documented in 1689 and the many variants go by a large number of titles.
In a version of Let No Man Steal Your Thyme, she wishes she were in her lover’s arms but she tells false men not to give her cause to complain about the grass underfoot being "trodden down" – in time, it will rise again.
In some versions of Garners Gay, the narrator plucks up all rue and plants a sturdy oak in its place with the hope that it will grow strong and remain as true as the stars do to the sky.
Other plants are mentioned in other versions.
Roud Folk Song Index
The Roud Folk Song Index is a database of 300,000 references to over 21,600 songs that have been collected from oral tradition in the English language from all over the world...
#3) is a traditional British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
folk Ballad that uses fairly obvious botanical and other symbolism to warn young people of the dangers in taking false lovers. The song was first documented in 1689 and the many variants go by a large number of titles.
Synopsis
In one version of Maiden’s Lament, the narrator tells her audience to keep their gardens fair and not to let anyone steal their thyme. Once, she had a sprig of thyme but a gardener’s son came with a red rose, a blue violet and some bitter rue. He stole the thyme and left only rue, with its "running root", growing in its place. Her parents were angry but she will cut the head off the rose and plant a willow for all to see. There is many a "dark and cloudy morn brings forth a pleasant day" and "there are fine boats sailing here".In a version of Let No Man Steal Your Thyme, she wishes she were in her lover’s arms but she tells false men not to give her cause to complain about the grass underfoot being "trodden down" – in time, it will rise again.
In some versions of Garners Gay, the narrator plucks up all rue and plants a sturdy oak in its place with the hope that it will grow strong and remain as true as the stars do to the sky.
Other plants are mentioned in other versions.
Commentary
The representative symbolism is as follows:- "Thyme" – virginity and, to an extent, time.
- "Red Rose" – romantic love, lust or "wanton passion"
- "Violet" – modesty
- "Willow" – sorrow and despair
- "Rue" – regret
- "Oak" – strength, loyalty
Recordings
- Anne BriggsAnne BriggsAnne Briggs is an English folk singer. Although she traveled widely in the 1960s and early 1970s, appearing at folk clubs and venues in England and Ireland, she never aspired to commercial success or to achieve widespread public acknowledgment of her music...
recorded a version of Let No Man Steal Your Thyme (1963), which is included on A Collection - Jim MorayJim MorayJim Moray is an English folk singer, multi-instrumentalist and record producer.-Recording artist:While studying classical composition at the Birmingham Conservatoire, Moray released the home-recorded I Am Jim Moray EP. During 2002 he appeared at the Glastonbury festival and the Cambridge Folk...
performed Seeds Of Love on his 2003 album Sweet England - PentanglePentanglePentangle may refer to:*another word for a pentagram, a five-pointed star drawn with five straight strokes*Pentangle , a British folk-rock band*The Pentangle, the 1968 album by the band Pentangle...
recorded "Let No Man Steal Your Thyme" on their 1968 debut The PentangleThe PentangleThe Pentangle was the 1968 debut album of the band Pentangle: Terry Cox, Bert Jansch, Jacqui McShee, John Renbourn and Danny Thompson. It brought together their separate influences of folk, jazz, blues, early music and contemporary song-writing into a unique sound...
. - Shelagh McDonaldShelagh McDonaldShelagh McDonald is a Scottish folk singer, song-writer and guitarist who released two albums before her abrupt and mysterious disappearance in 1971...
recorded "Let No Man Steal Your Thyme" on a 2005 album of the same nameLet No Man Steal Your Thyme (album)Let No Man Steal Your Thyme is a two CD compilation album of the music of Shelagh McDonald released in 2005 on the Castle Music imprint of Sanctuary Records. The compilation contains various outtakes, live recordings and rarities in addition to the material originally released on The Shelagh... - Roberts and BarrandRoberts and BarrandRoberts and Barrand is a musical group formed in 1969 by John Roberts and Tony Barrand while they were graduate students in psychology at Cornell University...
recorded "Garners Gay" on their 1983 Live at Holstein's!