VIII. Willow, Willow, Willow...................................................................................
It is from the following stanzas that Shakspeare has taken his song of the
Willow, in hisOthello, act iv. sc. 3, though somewhat varied and applied by him to a
female character. He makes Desdemona introduce it in this pathetic and affecting
manner:--
My mother had a maid call'd Barbara:
She was in love; and he she lov'd prov'd mad,
And did forsake her. She had a song of -- Willow.
An old thing 'twas, but it express'd her fortune,
And she died singing it.
Ed. 1793, vol. xv. p. 613.This is given from a black-letter copy in the Pepys Collection, thus entitled, "A Lovers
Complaint, being forsaken of his Love. To a pleasant tune."
A POORE soule sat sighing under a sicamore tree;
O willow, willow, willow!
With his hand on his bosom, his head on his knee:
O willow, willow, willow!
O willow, willow, willow!
Sing, O the greene willow shall be my garlànd.
He sigh'd in his singing, and after each grone,
Come willow, &c.
"I am dead to all pleasure, my true-love is gone;
O willow, &c.
Sing, O the greene willow shall be my garlànd.
"My love she is turned; untrue she doth prove:
O willow, &c.
She renders me nothing but hate for my love.
O willow, &c.
Sing, O the greene willow, &c.
"O pitty me" (cried he), "ye lovers, each one;
O willow, &c.
Her heart's hard as marble; she rues not my mone.
O willow, &c.
Sing, O the greene willow, &c."
The cold streams ran by him, his eyes wept apace;
O willow, &c.
The salt tears fell from him, which drowned his face:
O willow, &c.
Sing, O the greene willow, &c.
The mute birds sate by him, made tame by his mones
O willow, &c.
The salt tears fell from him, which softened the stones.
O willow, &c.
Sing, O the greene willow shall be my garland!
"Let nobody blame me, her scornes I do prove;
O willow, &c.