Scarborough Fair is the title of a well-known song due to the excellent interpretation of the talented Simon&Garfunkel duo. The score enters into the soundtrack of the famous movie released by United Artists in 1967 and directed by Mike Nichols: The Graduate.

It is a traditional English ballade referred to the market in a Yorkshire little town that took place without interruption between the 14th and 18th centuries, in Scarborough, indeed.

The lyrics of Scarborough Fair derive somehow from an ancient Scottish ballade titled The Elfin King, which dates back at least to 1670.

The English ballade consists of a duet between two prospective lovers, who trade requirements for impossible tasks before accepting each other as a partner.

One peculiar feature of this ballade is the line «Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme;» in second place in each four verses stanza.

Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme;
Remember me to the 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 needlework,
Then she shall be a true love of mine

[etc…]

This line appears to be out of context other than for the metrics and musicality of the assorted words.

In reality, the aromatic herbs that would not be out of place on the counters of a country market – in the medieval tradition represented values relevant to the topic of the story. Parsley was comfort, sage was strength, rosemary was love, and thyme was courage.