Fine Flowers of the Valley
THE CRUEL BROTHER—G
[_]
a. Herd's MSS, i, 41. b. Herd's Scottish Songs, 1776,
i, 88.
1
There was three ladys in a ha,
Fine flowers i the valley
There came three lords amang them a',
Wi the red, green, and the yellow
2
The first of them was clad in red:
‘O lady fair, will you be my bride?’
3
The second of them was clad in green:
‘O lady fair, will you be my queen?’
4
The third of them was clad in yellow:
‘O lady fair, will you be my marrow?’
5
‘You must ask my father dear,
Likewise the mother that did me bear.’
6
‘You must ask my sister Ann,
And not forget my brother John.’
7
‘I have askt thy father dear,
Likewise thy mother that did thee bear.
8
‘I have askt thy sister Ann,
But I forgot thy brother John.’
9
Her father led her through the ha,
Her mother dancd before them a'.
10
Her sister Ann led her through the closs,
Her brother John put her on her horse.
11
‘You are high and I am low;
Let me have a kiss before you go.’
12
She was louting down to kiss him sweet,
Wi his penknife he wounded her deep.
[OMITTED]
13
‘O lead me over into yon stile,
That I may stop and breath a while.
14
‘O lead me over to yon stair,
For there I'll ly and bleed ne mair.’
15
‘O what will you leave your father dear?’
‘That milk-white steed that brought me here.’
16
‘O what will you leave your mother dear?’
‘The silken gown that I did wear.’
17
‘What will you leave your sister Ann?’
‘My silken snood and golden fan.’
18
‘What will you leave your brother John?’
‘The highest gallows to hang him on.’
19
‘What will you leave your brother John's wife?’
‘Grief and sorrow to end her life.’
20
‘What will ye leave your brother John's bairns?’
‘The world wide for them to range.’
