(:redirect quiet=1:) %abc-2.1 X:1 T:The Mistletoe Bough Z:Webmaster C:Thomas Haynes Bayly (1797-1839) M:6/8 L:1/8

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K:A E | EEE EEE | F2FE2E | w:The mis-tle-toe hung on the cas-tle hall The FFF GFE | B2BA2E | w:hol-ly branch shone on the old oak wall. The EEE EEE | F2FE3 | w:ba-on's re-tain-ers were blythe and gay FFF (GF)E | B2BA2E | w:Kee-ping their Christ--mas ho-li-day. The M:3/4 A3GA2 | B4AB | c4A2 | E4C2 | w:ba-ron be-held with a fa-ther's pride His D3CB,2 | G2F2E2 | A4G2 | A4F2 | w:bea-uti-ful daugh-ter young Lov-ell's bride. And A3GA2 | B4A2 | c4A2 | E4C2 | w:she with her bright eyes seemed to be The C3DB,2 | (G2F2)E2 | A4G2 | A6 | w:star of that good--ly com-pan-y. (A2G2)A2 | B2A2B2 | c6 | w:Oh-- the mis-tle-toe bough. (D2C2)D2 | E2c2B2 | A6 || w:Oh-- the mis-tle-toe bough | W: % W:1 W:The mistletoe hung in the castle hall, W:The holly branch shone on the old oak wall, W:And the Baron's retainers were blithe and gay, W:And keeping their Christmas holiday, W:The Baron beheld with a father's pride, W:His beautiful child, young Lovel's bride. W:While she with her bright eyes seemed to be, W:The star of the goodly company. W: W:(chorus) W:Oh! the mistletoe bough! Oh! the mistletoe bough! W: W:2 W:"I'm weary of dancing now," she cried, W:Here tarry a moment, I'll hide, I'll hide, W:And Lovel be sure thou'rt the first to trace W:The clue to my secret lurking place." W:Away she ran and her friends began, W:Each tower to search and each nook to scan, W:And young Lovel cried, "Oh where dost thou hide? W:I'm lonesome without thee, my own dear bride." W: W:3 W:They sought her that night and they sought her next day, W:And they sought her in vain till a week passed away, W:In the highest, the lowest, the loneliest spot, W:Young Lovel sought wildly but found her not, W:And years flew by, and their grief at last W:Was told as a sorrowful tale long past, W:And when Lovel appeared the children cried, W:See! the old man weeps for his fairy bride. W: W:4 W:At length an oak chest that had long lain hid, W:Was found in the castle, they raised the lid, W:And a skeleton form lay mouldering there, W:In the bridal wreath of the lady fair. W:Oh! sad was her fate, in sportive jest W:She hid from her Lord, in the old oak chest, W:It closed with a spring, and her bridal bloom W:Lay withering there, in a living tomb. % % % % % % % % % %]