The English and Scottish Popular Ballads Edited by Francis James Child. |
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The English and Scottish Popular Ballads | ||
The Rose o Malindie O
THE CRUEL MOTHER—J
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.’
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‘O fause mother, whan we waur thine,You didna clied us in silk sae fine.
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‘Ye tuik the ribbon aff your head,An' hankit our necks till we waur dead.
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!’
The English and Scottish Popular Ballads | ||