Come Lasses and Lads by Randolph Caldecott

This is a traditional British folk song dating from the 17th century, typically played and sung around the Maypole, on May 1st, or at sometime around the beginning of May when people celebrate the return of good times.

Randolph Caldecott made a tremendous job catching the cheerful and optimistic feelings into his pictures, so it's probably best to take a look at his work and check the text as it was published by Frederick Warne & Co., London in 1884.

Come, Lasses and Lads, get leave of your Dads,
And away to the Maypole hay;

For every he
Has got him a she,
with a minstrel standing by.

For Willy has gotten his Jill,
And Johnny has got his Jone,
To jigg it, jigg it, jigg it,
Jig it up and down.

"Strike up," says Watt; "Agreed," says Kate
"And I prithee, Fiddler, play;
"Content," says Hodge, and so says Madge,
For this is a Holiday!
Then every man did put his hat off to his lass,
Ande every girl did curchy, curchy, curchy on the grass.

"Begin," says Hall; "Ay ay," says Mall,
"We'll lead up Packington's pound;"
"No, no," says Noll, and so says Doll,
"We'll first have Sellenger's round."

Then every man began
to foot it round about,
And every girl did jet it,
Jet it, jet it in and out.

"You're out, says Dick; "Not I," says Nick,
"The Fiddler played it false;"
"'Tis true," says Hugh, and so says Sue,
And so says every nimble Alice.

The Fiddler then began to play the tune again,
And every girl did trip it,
Trip it, trip it to the men.

Then after an hour, they went to a bower,
And played for ale and cakes,
Ank kisses too - until they were due
the lasses held the stakes

The girls did then begin to quarrel with the men,
And bid them take their kisses back,
and give them their own again.
And bid them take their kisses back
and give them their own again.

Now there they did stay for the whole of the day,
And tired the Fiddler quite,
With singing and playing, without any paying,
From morning until night.

They told the fiddler then,
they'd pay him for his play,

And each a 2-pence, 2-pence, 2-pence,
gave him, and went away.

"Good-night," says Harry; "Good-night," says Mary;
"Good-night, says Dolly to John;
"Good night," says Sue to her sweetheart Hugh,
Good night, says everyone.

Some walked and some did run, Some loitered on the way,
And bound themselves, by kisses twelve, To meet next Holiday.
And bound themselves, by kisses twelve, To meet next Holiday.

That's all!