Not quite Scarborough Fair

It’s a pretty miserable day, so I resign myself to an ‘inside blip’ quite early on. 

It would be lovely if I could get my hands on some sage and thyme, but both these herbs have perished over winter, and so I’m left with an incomplete song refrain - parsley and rosemary. My impoverished ‘Scarborough Fair’ is, however, enriched with some euphorbia - an allegedly annual variety which I’ve saved from G’s overzealous autumn clearance. It’s survived the winter surprisingly well. 

And so my little herbal nosegays are placed in a small round glass trough - a curiosity purchased in a Covent Garden store some years ago. I loved the prospect of linear flower arrangements, but the sad fact is, it’s both fragile and remarkably impractical and so is seldom used. 

It’s almost as impossible to arrange flowers successfully in this as it is to complete the tasks set in the ballad. It’s a song I’ve always loved, but apart from its herbal content, I don’t think I’ve ever thought about the words before. Like many ballads, there appear to be several versions, but it seems the first two demands are made by the man of his ‘true love’, the second two, made by the woman in reply. Clearly, she’s not going to be pushed around.

Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.
Remember me to one who lives there.
For once she was a true love of mine.

Tell her to make me a cambric shirt.
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.
Without any seam or fine needlework,
and then she'll be a true love of mine.

Tell her to wash it in yonder dry well,
parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme;
where water never have sprung, nor drop of rail fell,
and then she'll be a true love of mine.

Oh, will you find me an arce of land,
parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme;
between the sea foam and the sea sand
or never be a true love of mine.

Oh, will you plough it with a lamb's horn,
parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme;
and sow it all over with one peppercorn,
or never be a true love of mine.

And when you have done and finished your work,
parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme;
then come to me for your cambric shirt,
and you shall be a true love of mine.