The hills far-off were blue, blue,
   The hills at hand were brown;
And all the herd-bells called to me
   As I came by the down.

The briars turned to roses, roses;
   Ever we stayed to pull
A white little rose, and a red little rose,
   And a lock of silver wool.

Nobody heeded, -- none, none;
   And when True Love came by,
They thought him naught but the shepherd-boy.
   Nobody knew but I!

The trees were feathered like birds, birds;
   Birds were in every tree.
Yet nobody heeded, nobody heard,
   Nobody knew, save me.

And he is fairer than all -- all.
   How could a heart go wrong?
For his eyes I knew, and his knew mine,
   Like an old, old song.