""Beautiful May" (16 Sep 1867)
[Unaccompanied SATB Vocals]
Words by Fanny Crosby
[aka Mrs. Francis Jane (Crosby) Van Alstyne, 1820-1915]
Music by Henry Tucker, 1826-1882

New York: William A. Pond & Co., No. 547 Broadway
[Source: pp. 167-9 from "Nine O'Clock in the Morning"]

1. Merry we hail thee, beautiful May,
Blushing with roses, smiling and gay,
Waking the zephyr, calling the bee.
Tripping so lightly, over the lea;
Dewdrops and sunbeam, meadow and glade,
Valley and mountains, grotto and shade,
Sing at thy coming, welcome to thee,
Blossoms attend thee, beautiful May.

CHORUS [sung after each verse]
Merry May
Beautiful May,
Merry May,
Beautiful May,
Beautiful, beautiful May,
Merry May,
Beautiful May,
Merry May,
Beautiful May,
Beautiful, beautiful May.

2. Queen of the forest, pride of the dell,
Lightly around thee weaving their spell,
Fairies and jewels spangle thy wing,
How shall we crown thee? what shall we bring?
Garlands of pleasure, chaplets of mirth,
Pearls that are fadeless welcome thy burth;
Brooklet and fountain dancing with glee,
Echo, sweet echo murmurs to thee.

3. Close by the hillside, fresh from her bed,
See the young daisy lifting her head,
Pure as the snowflake, fair as the day,
She is thy sister, beautiful May.
Merry we hail thee, wild with delight,
Childhood is like thee, joyous and bright.
Gay is the robin, blithe is the bee,
Sweet is our chorus, welcome to thee.