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!’
