Here is a popular Newfoundland folksong called, "She’s Like The Swallow". It has no stated author, but was found in 1930 by a British folksong collector, Maud Karpeles, who wrongly assumed at first that the song came from Britain.
After reading the first verse, I was under the impression that the ode was a love song, sung by a lover to the object of his affection. But when I continued to read, the tale took a turn – reminiscent of the melancholy of traditional British folksongs. Here is the sheet music for the song, followed by all its verses.
She's like the swallow that flies so high,
She's like the river that never runs dry,
She's like the sunshine on the lee shore,
She loves her love but she'll love no more.
'Twas down in the meadow this fair maid bent
A-picking the primrose just as she went.
The more she picked and the more she pulled,
Until she gathered her apron full.
She climbed on yonder hill above
To give a rose unto her love.
She gave him one, she gave him three,
She gave her heart for company.
And as they sat on yonder hill
His heart grew hard, so harder still.
He has two hearts instead of one.
She says, 'Young man, what have you done?'
'How foolish, foolish you must be
To think I love no one but thee.
The world’s not made for one alone,
I take delight in everyone.'
She took her roses and made a bed,
A stony pillow for her head.
She lay her down, no more did say,
But let her roses fade away.
She's like the swallow that flies so high,
She's like the river that never runs dry,
She's like the sunshine on the lee shore,
She loves her love but she'll love no more.
The symbolism of the swallow could mean a number of things. Traditionally, sailors would tattoo themselves with the image of a swallow because it was a symbol of how experienced they were on the high seas. The more swallow tattoos one had (usually placed on the hands, neck or chest), the more successful voyages they had been on. Also, if a sailor were to drown, it was thought that the swallow would then carry his soul to heaven.
The swallow is also used to represent affection and care for friends and loved ones, and shows the loyalty of a person to always return to them.
