I Once Loved a Boy (traditional)

I once loved a boy, and a bold, brown-haired boy,
I would come and would go at his request; 
And this poor bonny boy was my pride and my joy
And I built him a bower in my breast. 

And this girl who has taken my bold bonny love
May she make of it all that she can; 
For whether he loves me, or loves me not,
I will walk with my love now and then.

========http://www.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/~zierke/anne.briggs/songs/mybonnyboy.html

справка с обложки альбома Anne Briggs "The Hazards of Love"

This passionate old song spread as far north as Stromness (Balfour's Orkney Melodies, 1885) 
and as far west as Glenosheen, Co. Limerick (Petrie's Ancient Music of Ireland, 1855). 

Fifty years ago, it was to be heard in many parts of England from Sussex to Westmorland, 
including the King's Cross district of London where a good version was obtained. 

It first appeared in print on a mid-17th century broadside as Cupid's Trepan 
or the Scorne Scorn'd or the Willow Turn'd into Carnation; but it wasn't a new song then. 
In 1730 a rather popped-up version was used in the stage play The Female Parson, 
or The Beau in the Suds, reminding us that the impoverishment of folk songs 
by commercialisation is nothing new. The grand tune also turns up in simpler 
(but, this time, not impoverished) form adapted to the words of the ballad Henry Martin. 
A later use of it is in the well known Folk-Song Suite by Vaughan Williams.

===========версии http://www.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/~zierke/anne.briggs/songs/mybonnyboy.html

=== Anne Briggs' My Bonny Boy

I once loved a boy and a bonny, bonny boy
Who would come and would go at request.
And this handsome young boy was my pride and my joy,
|: And I built him a bower in my breast. :|

Well, up the long alley and down the green valley,
Like one that was troubled in mind
I hollered and I whooped and I played upon my flute,
|: But no bonny boy could I find. :|

I sat myself down on a green mossy bank
Where the sun it shone wonderful warm;
And who did I spy but my own bonny boy
|: Fast locked in some other girl's arms. :|

Well, the girl who's the joy of my own bonny boy
Let her make of him all that she can.
And whether he loves me or whether he don't,
|: I'll walk with that boy now and then. :|

=== Shirley Collins' Bonnie Boy

I once loved a boy, a bonny, bonny boy
And I loved him, I will vow and protest.
I loved him so well, so very, very well,
|: That I built him a bower on my breast. :|

It was through the green valley and up a green hill,
Like one that was troubled in mind,
I called and I shouted and played on my pipe,
|: But no bonny boy could I find. :|

I looked up high and I looked down low,
And the sun it shone wonderful warm;
When who should I see but my own bonny boy
That's so close in another girl's arms,
Oh, so close in another girl's arms.

Now, my bonny boy has gone far away,
And I fear I shan't see him again.
But were I to have him or were I to not,
I will think of him once and then,
Yes, I'll think of him once now and then.

========версия http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/hibernian-songster/Hibernian-songster%20-%200272.htm

I ONCE LOVED A BOY

I once lov'd a boy, and a bonny, bonny hoy,
Who'd come and go at my request; 
I lov'd him so well, and so very, very well,
That 1 built him a bower in my breast, in my breast,
Thai I built him a bower In my breast. 
I once lov'd a boy, and a bonny, bonny boy,
And a boy that I thought was my own; 
But he loves another girl better than me.
And bas taken his flight and is gone, and is gone,
And has taken his flight, and is gone. 
The girl that has taken my own bonny boy,
Let her make of him all that she can; 
For whether he loves me, or loves me not,
I'll walk with my love now and then, now and then,
I'll walk with my love now and then.