Ed de Moel

Child Ballads - Lyrics

Child 11
The Cruel Brother
Version M

Campbell Manuscripts, II, 26.

Narrative

1   There was three ladies playing at the ba,
      With a hay and a lilly gay
A gentleman cam amang them a'.
      And the roses grow sweet aye
2   The first of them was clad in yellow,
      With a hay and a lilly gay
And he askd at her gin she'd be his marrow.
      And the roses grow sweet aye
3   The next o them was clad in green;
      With a hay and a lilly gay
He askd at her gin she'd be his queen.
      And the roses grow sweet aye
4   The last o them [was] clad in red;
      With a hay and a lilly gay
He askd at her gin she'd be his bride.
      And the roses grow sweet aye
5   'Have ye asked at my father dear?
      With a hay and a lilly gay
Or have ye asked my mother dear?
      And the roses grow sweet aye
6   'Have ye asked my sister Ann?
      With a hay and a lilly gay
Or have ye asked my brother John?'
      And the roses grow sweet aye
7   'I have asked yer father dear,
      With a hay and a lilly gay
And I have asked yer mother dear.
      And the roses grow sweet aye
8   'I have asked yer sister Ann,
      With a hay and a lilly gay
But I've quite forgot your brother John.'
      And the roses grow sweet aye
9   Her father dear led her thro them a',
      With a hay and a lilly gay
Her mother dear led her thro the ha.
      And the roses grow sweet aye
10   Her sister Ann led her thro the closs,
      With a hay and a lilly gay
And her brother John stabbed her on her horse.
      And the roses grow sweet aye
11   'Ride up, ride up,' says the foremost man,
      With a hay and a lilly gay
'I think our bride looks pale and wan.'
      And the roses grow sweet aye
12   'Ride up,' cries the bonny bridegroom,
      With a hay and a lilly gay
'I think the bride be bleeding.'
      And the roses grow sweet aye
13   'This is the bludy month of May,
      With a hay and a lilly gay
Me and my horse bleeds night and day.
      And the roses grow sweet aye
14   'O an I were at yon green hill,
      With a hay and a lilly gay
I wad ly down and bleed a while.
      And the roses grow sweet aye
15   'O gin I was at yon red cross,
      With a hay and a lilly gay
I wad light down and corn my horse.
      And the roses grow sweet aye
16   'O an I were at yon kirk-style,
      With a hay and a lilly gay
I wad lye down and soon be weel.'
      And the roses grow sweet aye
17   When she cam to yon green hill,
      With a hay and a lilly gay
Then she lay down and bled a while.
      And the roses grow sweet aye
18   And when she cam to yon red cross,
      With a hay and a lilly gay
Then she lighted and corned her horse.
      And the roses grow sweet aye
19   'What will ye leave your father dear?'
      With a hay and a lilly gay
'My milk-white steed, which cost me dear.'
      And the roses grow sweet aye
20   'What will ye leave your mother dear?'
      With a hay and a lilly gay
'The bludy clothes that I do wear.'
      And the roses grow sweet aye
21   'What will ye leave your sister Ann?'
      With a hay and a lilly gay
'My silver bridle and my golden fan.'
      And the roses grow sweet aye
22   'What will ye leave your brother John?'
      With a hay and a lilly gay
'The gallows-tree to hang him on.'
      And the roses grow sweet aye
23   'What will ye leave to your sister Pegg?'
      With a hay and a lilly gay
'The wide world for to go and beg.'
      And the roses grow sweet aye
24   When she came to yon kirk-style,
      With a hay and a lilly gay
Then she lay down, and soon was weel.
      And the roses grow sweet aye

This page most recently updated on 05-Mar-2011, 10:43:44.
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