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The English and Scottish Popular Ballads

Edited by Francis James Child.

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The Rose o Malindie O

THE CRUEL MOTHER—J

[_]

a. Harris MS., fol. 10, “Mrs Harris and others.” b. Fragment communicated by Dr T. Davidson.

1

She leant her back against a thorn,
Hey for the Rose o' Malindie O
And there she has twa bonnie babes born.
Adoon by the green wood sidie O

2

She's taen the ribbon frae her head,
An hankit their necks till they waur dead.

3

She luikit outowre her castle wa,
An saw twa nakit boys, playin at the ba.

4

‘O bonnie boys, waur ye but mine,
I wald feed ye wi flour-bread an wine.’

5

‘O fause mother, whan we waur thine,
Ye didna feed us wi flour-bread an wine.’

6

‘O bonnie boys, gif ye waur mine,
I wald clied ye wi silk sae fine.’

7

‘O fause mother, whan we waur thine,
You didna clied us in silk sae fine.

8

‘Ye tuik the ribbon aff your head,
An' hankit our necks till we waur dead.
[OMITTED]

9

‘Ye sall be seven years bird on the tree,
Ye sall be seven years fish i the sea.

10

‘Ye sall be seven years eel i the pule,
An ye sall be seven years doon into hell.’

11

‘Welcome, welcome, bird on the tree,
Welcome, welcome, fish i the sea.

12

‘Welcome, welcome, eel i the pule,
But oh for gudesake, keep me frae hell!’