"The Sprig of Thyme", "The Seeds of Love", "Maiden’s Lament", "Garners Gay", "Let No Man Steal Your Thyme" or "Rue" () is a traditional British and Irish folk ballad that uses botanical and other symbolism to warn young people of the dangers in taking false lovers. The song was first documented in 1689 and the many variants go by a large number of titles. History In Thomas Dunham Whitaker's History of the Parish of Whalley, it is claimed that around the year 1689, a woman named Mrs. Fleetwood Habergam “undone by the extravagance, and disgraced by the vices of her husband,” wrote of her woes in the symbolism of flowers; however, the folklorist Cecil Sharp doubted this claim. The versions allegedly written by Habergram would have been the "Seeds of Love" variant; The "Sprig of Thyme" / "Let No Man Steal Your Thyme" variant is probably older than the "Seeds of Love" variant; it has a more modal, sad melody with abstract and reflective lyrics. The Seeds of Love, sung by the gardener John England, was the first folk song Cecil Sharp ever collected while he was staying with Charles Marson, vicar of Hambridge, Somerset, England, in 1903. Maud Karpeles wrote about this occasion in her 1967 autobiography:Cecil Sharp was sitting in the vicarage garden talking to Charles Marson and to Mattie Kay, who was likewise staying at Hambridge, when he heard John England quietly singing to himself as he mowed the vicarage lawn. Cecil Sharp whipped out his notebook and took down the tune; and then persuaded John to give him the words. He immediately harmonised the song; and that same evening it was sung at a choir supper by Mattie Kay, Cecil Sharp accompanying. The audience was delighted; as one said, it was the first time that the song had been put into evening dress. Synopsis In one version of Maiden’s Lament, the narrator tells her audience to keep their gardens fair and not to let anyone steal their thyme. Once, she had a sprig of thyme but a gardener’s son came with a red rose, a blue violet and some bitter rue. He stole the thyme and left only rue, with its "running root", growing in its place. Her parents were angry but she will cut the head off the rose and plant a willow for all to see. There is many a "dark and cloudy morn