P. 170. Add:
"In Gipsy Tents," by Francis Hindes Groome, p. 143.
| 1 |
There were three sisters going from home,
All in a lea and alony, oh
They met a man, and he made them stand,
Down by the bonny banks of Airdrie, oh. |
| 2 |
He took the first one by the hand,
All in a lea and alony, oh
He turned her round, and he made her stand.
Down by the bonny banks of Airdrie, oh. |
| 3 |
Saying, Will you be a robber's wife?
All in a lea and alony, oh
Or will you die by my penknife?
Down by the bonny banks of Airdrie, oh. |
| 4 |
'Oh, I wont be a robber's wife,
All in a lea and alony, oh
But I will die by your penknife.'
Down by the bonny banks of Airdrie, oh. |
| 5 |
Then he took the second by her hand,
All in a lea and alony, oh
He turned her round, and he made her stand.
Down by the bonny banks of Airdrie, oh. |
| 6 |
Saying, Will you be a robber's wife?
All in a lea and alony, oh
Or will you die by my penknife?
Down by the bonny banks of Airdrie, oh. |
| 7 |
'Oh, I wont be a robber's wife,
All in a lea and alony, oh
But I will die by your penknife.'
Down by the bonny banks of Airdrie, oh. |
| 8 |
He took the third one by the hand,
All in a lea and alony, oh
He turned her round, and he made her stand.
Down by the bonny banks of Airdrie, oh. |
| 9 |
Saying, Will you be a robber's wife?
All in a lea and alony, oh
Or will you die by my penknife?
Down by the bonny banks of Airdrie, oh. |
| 10 |
'Oh, I wont be a robber's wife,
All in a lea and alony, oh
And I wont die by your penknife.
Down by the bonny banks of Airdrie, oh. |
| 11 |
'If my two brothers had been here,
All in a lea and alony, oh
You would not have killed my sisters two.'
Down by the bonny banks of Airdrie, oh. |
| 12 |
'What was your two brothers' names?'
All in a lea and alony, oh
'One was John, and the other was James.'
Down by the bonny banks of Airdrie, oh. |
| 13 |
'Oh, what did your two brothers do?'
All in a lea and alony, oh
'One was a minister, the other such as you.'
Down by the bonny banks of Airdrie, oh. |
| 14 |
'Oh, what is this that I have done?
All in a lea and alony, oh
I have killed my sisters, all but one.
Down by the bonny banks of Airdrie, oh. |
| 15 |
' And now I'll take out my penknife,
All in a lea and alony, oh
And here I'll end my own sweet life.'
Down by the bonny banks of Airdrie, oh. |
P. 173, II, 499. Add to the French ballad: 'Le Passage du
Bois,' V. Smith, Chants p. du Velay et du Forez, Romania, X, 205;
'La Doulento,' Arbaud, I, 120; Poésies p. de la France,
Manuscript, IV, fol. 442, printed in Rolland, III, 55. With these
belong 'La Ragazza assassinata,' Nigra, No 12, three versions, p.
85 ff.; 'La Vergine uccisa,' Ferraro, Canti p. monferrini, p.
17.
