Ed de Moel

Child Ballads - Additions and Corrections

20. The Cruel Mother

P. 21 8 b, III, 502 a. 'Barnemordersken,' Kristensen, Jyske Folkeminder, X, 356, No 90, A, B.

219 b, 504 a, II, 500 a, III, 502 b. Add: Q, R, Hruschka u. Toischer, Deutsche Volkslieder aus Böhmen, p. 129, No 40 a, b.

220 ff. a. Manuscript of Thomas Wilkie, p. 4, in "Scotch Ballads, Materials for Border Minstrelsy," No 33. "Taken down from Mrs. Hislope, Gattonside. The air is plaintive and very wild." 1813. b. "Scotch Ballads, Materials," etc., No 113; in the hand of T. Wilkie.

1   As I looked over my father's castle-wa,
      All alone and alone, O
I saw two pretty babes playing at the ba.
      Down by yone greenwood side, O
2   'O pretty babes, if ye were mine,'
      All alone and alone, O
'I would dead you o the silk so fine.'
      Alone by the greenwood side, O
3   'O mother dear, when we were thine,
      All alone and alone, O
Ye houket a hole foment the sun,'
And laid yer two babes in, O
4   'O pretty babes, if ye were mine,
      All alone and alone, O
I would feed you wi the morning's milk.'
      Alone by the greenwood side, O
5   'O mother dear, when we were thine,
      All alone and alone, O
Ye houket a hole foment the sun.
And laid yer two babes in, O.
6   'But we are in the heavens high,
      All alone and alone, O
And ye hae the pains of hell to dri.'
      Alone by the greenwood side, O
7   'O pretty babes, pray weel for me!'
      All alone and alone, O
'Aye, mother, as ye did for we.'
      Down by yone greenwood side, O
a.  31. when that ye had done is written above we were thine.
b.  1. Burden, second line, by the.
22. with the.
After 2:
  'O mother dear, when we were thine,
Ye stabd us wi your little penknife.'
Down by the, etc.
31. when that ye had done.
4, 5. Wanting.
6. Burden, second line, Down by the, etc.

The copy at II, 500 b (Pepys, V, 4, No 2), is also in the Crawford collection, No 1127, and in that from the Osterley Park library, British Museum, C. 39. k. 6 (60). It is dated 1688-95 in the Crawford catalogue, and 1690? in the Museum catalogue.

The text printed II, 500 is here corrected according to the Museum copy.

   21. lovd.
32. for her heaviness.
62. pritty.
81. long and sharp.
122. other as naked as.
132. would.
142. dress us.
211, 221. O mother, O mother.
231. Alass! said.
After 10, etc.: hair and.
Title: Infants whom.
Imprint: London: Printed, etc.: Guiltspur.
(92, 192. have into, wrongly.)

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