There was a lady and a lady gay Of children she had three She sent them away to the North Countree For to learn their grammaree They had not been that very long Scarcely six months and a day When death, cruel death, came hasting along And stole those babes away It was just about ol' Christmastime The nights being cold and clear She looked and saw her three little babes Come running home to her She set a table both long and wide And on it she put bread and wine "Come eat, come drink my three little babes Come eat, come drink of mine" "We want none of your bread, mother Neither do we want your wine For yonder stands our Savior dear And to Him we must resign" "Green grass grows over our heads, mother Cold clay is under our feet And every tear you shed for us It wets our winding-sheet"