{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/child/ch020.htm","path":"neu/eng/child/ch020.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/ch020.htm","text":"20A.1 * * * *\nAND there she\u2019s leand her back to a thorn,\nRefrain: Oh and alelladay, oh and alelladay\nAnd there she has her baby born.\nRefrain: Ten thousand times good night and be wi thee\n20A.2 She has houked a grave ayont the sun,\nAnd there she has buried the sweet babe in.\n20A.3 And she\u2019s gane back to her father\u2019s ha,\nShe\u2019s counted the leelest maid o them a\u2019.\n* * * * *\n20A.4 \u2018O look not sae sweet, my bonie babe,\nGin ye smyle sae, ye\u2019ll smyle me dead.\u2019\n* * * * *\n20B: The Cruel Mother\n20B.1 SHE sat down below a thorn,\nRefrain: Fine flowers in the valley\nAnd there she has her sweet babe born.\nRefrain: And the green leaves they grow rarely\n20B.2 \u2018Smile na sae sweet, my bonie babe,\nAnd ye smile sae sweet, ye\u2019ll smile me dead.\u2019\n20B.3 She\u2019s taen out her little pen-knife,\nAnd twinnd the sweet babe o its life.\n20B.4 She\u2019s howket a grave by the light o the moon,\nAnd there she\u2019s buried her sweet babe in.\n20B.5 As she was going to the church,\nShe saw a sweet babe in the porch.\n20B.6 \u2018O sweet babe, and thou were mine,\nI wad cleed thee in the silk so fine.\u2019\n20B.7 \u2018O mother dear, when I was thine,\nYou did na prove to me sae kind.\u2019\n* * * * *\n20C: The Cruel Mother\n20C.1 SHE leaned her back unto a thorn,\nRefrain: Three, three, and three by three\nAnd there she has her two babes born.\nRefrain: Three, three, and thirty-three\n20C.2 She took frae \u2019bout her ribbon-belt,\nAnd there she bound them hand and foot.\n20C.3 She has taen out her wee pen-knife,\nAnd there she ended baith their life.\n20C.4 She has howked a hole baith deep and wide,\nShe has put them in baith side by side.\n20C.5 She has covered them oer wi a marble stane,\nThinking she would gang maiden hame.\n20C.6 As she was walking by her father\u2019s castle wa,\nShe saw twa pretty babes playing at the ba.\n20C.7 \u2018O bonnie babes, gin ye were mine,\nI would dress you up in satin fine.\n20C.8 \u2018O I would dress you in the silk,\nAnd wash you ay in morning milk.\u2019\n20C.9 \u2018O cruel mother, we were thine,\nAnd thou made us to wear the twine.\n20C.10 \u2018O cursed mother, heaven\u2019s high,\nAnd that\u2019s where thou will neer win nigh.\n20C.11 \u2018O cursed mother, hell is deep,\nAnd there thou\u2019ll enter step by step.\u2019\n20D: The Cruel Mother\n20D.1 THERE lies a lady in London,\nRefrain: All alone and alone ee\nShe\u2019s gane wi bairn to the clerk\u2019s son.\nRefrain: Down by the green wood sae bonnie\n20D.2 She\u2019s taen her mantle her about,\nShe\u2019s gane aff to the gude green wood.\n20D.3 She\u2019s set her back untill an oak,\nFirst it bowed and then it broke.\n20D.4 She\u2019s set her back untill a tree,\nBonny were the twa boys she did bear.\n20D.5 But she took out a little pen-knife,\nAnd she parted them and their sweet life.\n20D.6 She\u2019s aff untill her father\u2019s ha;\nShe was the lealest maiden that was amang them a\u2019.\n20D.7 As she lookit oure the castle wa,\nShe spied twa bonnie boys playing at the ba.\n20D.8 \u2018O if these two babes were mine,\nThey should wear the silk and the sabelline!\u2019\n20D.9 \u2018O mother dear, when we were thine,\nWe neither wore the silks nor the sabelline.\n20D.10 \u2018But out ye took a little pen-knife,\nAnd ye parted us and our sweet life.\n20D.11 \u2018But now we\u2019re in the heavens hie,\nAnd ye\u2019ve the pains o hell to drie.\u2019\n20E: The Cruel Mother\n20E.1 THERE was a lady, she lived in Lurk,\nRefrain: Sing hey alone and alonie O\nShe fell in love with her father\u2019s clerk.\nRefrain: Down by yon greenwood sidie O\n20E.2 She loved him seven years and a day,\nTill her big belly did her betray.\n20E.3 She leaned her back unto a tree,\nAnd there began her sad misery.\n20E.4 She set her foot unto a thorn,\nAnd there she got her two babes born.\n20E.5 She took out her wee pen-knife,\nShe twind them both of their sweet life.\n20E.6 She took the sattins was on her head,\nShe rolled them in both when they were dead.\n20E.7 She howkit a grave forenent the sun,\nAnd there she buried her twa babes in.\n20E.8 As she was walking thro her father\u2019s ha,\nShe spied twa boys playing at the ba.\n20E.9 \u2018O pretty boys, if ye were mine,\nI would dress ye both in the silks so fine.\u2019\n20E.10 \u2018O mother dear, when we were thine,\nThou neer dressed us in the silks so fine.\n20E.11 \u2018For thou was a lady, thou livd in Lurk,\nAnd thou fell in love with thy father\u2019s clerk.\n20E.12 \u2018Thou loved him seven years and a day,\nTill thy big belly did thee betray.\n20E.13 \u2018Thou leaned thy back unto a tree,\nAnd there began thy sad misery.\n20E.14 \u2018Thou set thy foot unto a thorn,\nAnd there thou got thy two babes born.\n20E.15 \u2018Thou took out thy wee pen-knife,\nAnd twind us both of our sweet life.\n20E.16 \u2018Thou took the sattins was on thy head,\nThou rolled us both in when we were dead.\n20E.17 \u2018Thou howkit a grave forenent the sun,\nAnd there thou buried thy twa babes in.\n20E.18 \u2018But now we\u2019re both in [the] heavens hie,\nThere is pardon for us, but none for thee.\u2019\n20E.19 \u2018My pretty boys, beg pardon for me!\u2019\n\u2018There is pardon for us, but none for thee.\u2019\n20F: The Cruel Mother\n20F.1 IT fell ance upon a day,\nRefrain: Edinburgh, Edinburgh\nIt fell ance upon a day,\nRefrain: Stirling for aye\nIt fell ance upon a day\nThe clerk and lady went to play.\nRefrain: So proper Saint Johnston stands fair upon Tay\n20F.2 \u2018If my baby be a son,\nI\u2019ll make him a lord of high renown.\u2019\n20F.3 She\u2019s leand her back to the wa,\nPrayd that her pains might fa.\n20F.4 She\u2019s leand her back to the thorn,\nThere was her baby born.\n20F.5 \u2018O bonny baby, if ye suck sair,\nYou\u2019ll never suck by my side mair.\u2019\n20F.6 She\u2019s riven the muslin frae her head,\nTied the baby hand and feet.\n20F.7 Out she took her little pen-knife,\nTwind the young thing o its sweet life.\n20F.8 She\u2019s howked a hole anent the meen,\nThere laid her sweet baby in.\n20F.9 She had her to her father\u2019s ha,\nShe was the meekest maid amang them a\u2019.\n20F.10 It fell ance upon a day,\nShe saw twa babies at their play.\n20F.11 \u2018O bonny babies, gin ye were mine,\nI\u2019d cleathe you in the silks sae fine.\u2019\n20F.12 \u2018O wild mother, when we were thine,\nYou cleathd us not in silks so fine.\n20F.13 \u2018But now we\u2019re in the heavens high,\nAnd you\u2019ve the pains o hell to try.\u2019\n20F.14 She threw hersell oer the castle-wa,\nThere I wat she got a fa.\n20G: The Cruel Mother\n20G.1 THERE was a lady lived on [a] lea,\nRefrain: All alone, alone O\nDown by the greenwood side went she.\nRefrain: Down the greenwood side O\n20G.2 She set her foot all on a thorn,\nThere she had two babies born.\n20G.3 O she had nothing to lap them in,\nBut a white appurn, and that was thin.\n20H: The Cruel Mother\n20H.1 THERE was a lady brisk and smart,\nRefrain: All in a lone and a lonie O\nAnd she goes with child to her father\u2019s clark.\nRefrain: Down by the greenwood sidie O\n20H.2 Big, big oh she went away,\nAnd then she set her foot to a tree.\n20H.3 Big she set her foot to a stone,\nTill her three bonnie babes were borne.\n20H.4 She took the ribbons off her head,\nShe tied the little babes hand and feet.\n20H.5 She howkit a hole before the sun,\nShe\u2019s laid these three bonnie babes in.\n20H.6 She covered them over with marble stone,\nFor dukes and lords to walk upon.\n20H.7 She lookit over her father\u2019s castle wa,\nShe saw three bonnie boys playing at the ba.\n20H.8 The first o them was clad in red,\nTo shew the innocence of their blood.\n20H.9 The neist o them was clad in green,\nTo shew that death they had been in.\n20H.10 The next was naked to the skin,\nTo shew they were murderd when they were born,\n20H.11 \u2018O bonnie babes, an ye were mine,\nI wad dress you in the satins so fine.\u2019\n20H.12 \u2018O mother dear, when we were thine,\nThou did not use us half so kind.\u2019\n20H.13 \u2018O bonnie babes, an ye be mine,\nWhare hae ye been a\u2019 this time?\u2019\n20H.14 \u2018We were at our father\u2019s house,\nPreparing a place for thee and us.\u2019\n20H.15 \u2018Whaten a place hae ye prepar\u2019d for me?\u2019\n\u2018Heaven\u2019s for us, but hell\u2019s for thee.\n20H.16 \u2018O mother dear, but heaven\u2019s high;\nThat is the place thou\u2019ll ne\u2019er come nigh.\n20H.17 \u2018O mother dear, but hell is deep;\n\u2019Twill cause thee bitterlie to weep.\u2019\n20I: The Cruel Mother\n20I.1 THE minister\u2019s daughter of New York,\nRefrain: Hey wi the rose and the lindie, O\nHas faen in love wi her father\u2019s clerk.\nRefrain: Alone by the green burn sidie, O\n20I.2 She courted him six years and a day,\nAt length her belly did her betray.\n20I.3 She did her down to the greenwood gang,\nTo spend awa a while o her time.\n20I.4 She lent her back unto a thorn,\nAnd she\u2019s got her twa bonny boys born.\n20I.5 She\u2019s taen the ribbons frae her hair,\nBound their bodyes fast and sair.\n20I.6 She\u2019s put them aneath a marble stane,\nThinking a maiden to gae hame.\n20I.7 Looking oer her castle wa,\nShe spied her bonny boys at the ba.\n20I.8 \u2018O bonny babies, if ye were mine,\nI woud feed you with the white bread and wine.\n20I.9 \u2018I woud feed you wi the ferra cow\u2019s milk,\nAnd dress you in the finest silk.\u2019\n20I.10 \u2018O cruel mother, when we were thine,\nWe saw none of your bread and wine.\n20I.11 \u2018We saw none of your ferra cow\u2019s milk,\nNor wore we of your finest silk.\u2019\n20I.12 \u2018O bonny babies, can ye tell me,\nWhat sort of death for you I must die?\u2019\n20I.13 \u2018Yes, cruel mother, we\u2019ll tell to thee,\nWhat sort of death for us you must die.\n20I.14 \u2018Seven years a fowl in the woods,\nSeven years a fish in the floods.\n20I.15 \u2018Seven years to be a church bell,\nSeven years a porter in hell.\u2019\n20I.16 \u2018Welcome, welcome, fowl in the wood[s],\nWelcome, welcome, fish in the flood[s].\n20I.17 \u2018Welcome, welcome, to be a church bell,\nBut heavens keep me out of hell.\u2019\n20J: The Cruel Mother\n20J.1 SHE leant her back against a thorn,\nRefrain: Hey for the Rose o\u2019 Malindie O\nAnd there she has twa bonnie babes born.\nRefrain: Adoon by the green wood sidie O\n20J.2 She\u2019s taen the ribbon frae her head,\nAn hankit their necks till they waur dead.\n20J.3 She luikit outowre her castle wa,\nAn saw twa nakit boys, playin at the ba.\n20J.4 \u2018O bonnie boys, waur ye but mine,\nI wald feed ye wi flour-bread an wine.\u2019\n20J.5 \u2018O fause mother, whan we waur thine,\nYe didna feed us wi flour-bread an wine.\u2019\n20J.6 \u2018O bonnie boys, gif ye waur mine,\nI wald clied ye wi silk sae fine.\u2019\n20J.7 \u2018O fause mother, whan we waur thine,\nYou didna clied us in silk sae fine.\n20J.8 \u2018Ye tuik the ribbon aff your head,\nAn\u2019 hankit our necks till we waur dead.\n* * * * *\n20J.9 \u2018Ye sall be seven years bird on the tree,\nYe sall be seven years fish i the sea.\n20J.10 \u2018Ye sall be seven years eel i the pule,\nAn ye sall be seven years doon into hell.\u2019\n20J.11 \u2018Welcome, welcome, bird on the tree,\nWelcome, welcome, fish i the sea.\n20J.12 \u2018Welcome, welcome, eel i the pule,\nBut oh for gudesake, keep me frae hell!\u2019\n20K: The Cruel Mother\n20K.1 LADY MARGARET looked oer the castle wa,\nRefrain: Hey and a lo and a lilly O\nAnd she saw twa bonnie babes playing at the ba.\nRefrain: Down by the green wood sidy O\n20K.2 \u2018O pretty babes, an ye were mine,\nI would dress you in the silks so fine.\u2019\n20K.3 \u2018O false mother, when we were thine,\nYe did not dress us in silks so fine.\u2019\n20K.4 \u2018O bonnie babes, an ye were mine,\nI would feed you on the bread and wine.\u2019\n20K.5 \u2018O false mother, when we were thine,\nYe did not feed us on the bread and the wine.\u2019\n* * * * *\n20K.6 \u2018Seven years a fish in the sea,\nAnd seven years a bird in the tree.\n20K.7 \u2018Seven years to ring a bell,\nAnd seven years porter in hell.\u2019\n20L: The Cruel Mother\n20L.1 A LADY lookd out at a castle wa,\nRefrain: Fine flowers in the valley\nShe saw twa bonnie babes playing at the ba.\nRefrain: And the green leaves they grow rarely\n20L.2 \u2018O my bonnie babes, an ye were mine,\nI would cleed ye i the scarlet sae fine.\n20L.3 \u2018I\u2019d lay ye saft in beds o down,\nAnd watch ye morning, night and noon.\u2019\n20L.4 \u2018O mither dear, when we were thine,\nYe didna cleed us i the scarlet sae fine.\n20L.5 \u2018But ye took out yere little pen-knife,\nAnd parted us frae our sweet life.\n20L.6 \u2018Ye howkit a hole aneath the moon,\nAnd there ye laid our bodies down.\n20L.7 \u2018Ye happit the hole wi mossy stanes,\nAnd there ye left our wee bit banes.\n20L.8 \u2018But ye ken weel, O mither dear,\nYe never cam that gate for fear.\u2019\n* * * * *\n20L.9 \u2018Seven lang years ye\u2019ll ring the bell,\nAnd see sic sights as ye darna tell.\u2019\n20M: The Cruel Mother\n20M.1 \u2018O mother dear, when we were thine,\nRefrain: All a lee and aloney O\nYou neither dressed us in coarse or fine.\u2019\nRefrain: Down by the greenwood sidy O\n20[N]: The Cruel Mother\n20[N].1 As I lookit oer my father\u2019s castle wa,\nRefrain: All alone and alone O\n20[N.1] I saw two pretty babes playing at the ba.\nRefrain: Down by yon green-wood sidie\n20[N.2] \u2018O pretty babes, gin ye were mine,\u2019\nRefrain: Hey the loch o the Loanie\n20[N.2] \u2018I would clead ye o the silk sae fine.\u2019\nRefrain: Down by that green-wood sidie\n20[N.3] \u2018O sweet darlings, gin ye were mine,\u2019\nRefrain: Hey the loch o the Loanie\n20[N.3] \u2018I would feed ye on the morning\u2019s milk.\u2019\nRefrain: Down by the green-wood sidie\n20[N.4] \u2018O mither dear, when we were thine,\u2019\nRefrain: By the lock o the Loanie\n20[N.4] \u2018Ye neither dressd us wi silk nor twine.\u2019\nRefrain: Down by this green-wood sidie\n20[N.5] \u2018But ye tuke out your little pen-knife,\u2019\nRefrain: By, etc.\n20[N.5] \u2018And there ye tuke yer little babes\u2019 life.\u2019\nRefrain: Down by the, etc.\n20[N.6] \u2018O mither dear, when this ye had done,\u2019\nRefrain: Alone by, etc.\n20[N.6] \u2018Ye unkirtled yersel, and ye wrapt us in \u2019t.\u2019\nRefrain: Down by the, etc.\n20[N.7] \u2018Neist ye houkit a hole fornent the seen.\u2019\nRefrain: All alone and alone O\n20[N.7] \u2018And tearless ye stappit your little babes in\u2019\nRefrain: Down by the, etc.\n20[N.8] \u2018But we are in the heavens high,\u2019\nRefrain: And far frae the loch o the Loanie\n20[N.8] \u2018But ye hae the pains o hell to d[r]ie.\u2019\nRefrain: Before ye leave the green-wood sidie\n20[N2]: The Cruel Mother\n20[N2].1 There was a duke\u2019s daughter lived at York,\nRefrain: All alone and alone a\n20[N2.1] And she fell in love with her father\u2019s clarke.\nRefrain: Down by the greenwood side a, side a,\nDown, etc.\n20[N2.2] She loved him seven long years and a day,\nTill at last she came big-bellied away.\n20[N2.3] She set her back against a thorn,\nAnd there she had two pretty babes born.\n20[N2.4] She took out a penknife long and short,\nAnd she pierc\u2019d these pretty babes to the tender heart.\n20[N2.5] So as she was walking in her father\u2019s hall,\nShe saw three pretty babes playing at ball.\n20[N2.6] The one was clothed in purple, the other in pall,\nAnd the other was cloathed in no cloths at all.\n20[N2.7] \u2018O pretty babes, pretty babes, will you be mine?\nYou shall be clothed in scarlet so fine,\nAnd ye shall drink ale, beer, and wine.\u2019\n20[N2.8] \u2018We are three angels, as other angels be,\nAnd the hotest place in hell is reserved for thee.\u2019\n20[O]: The Cruel Mother\n20[O].1 There was a duke\u2019s daughter lived in York,\nRefrain: Come bend and bear away the bows of yew\n20[O.1] So secretly she loved her father\u2019s clark.\nRefrain: Gentle hearts, be to me true.\n20[O.2] She loved him long and many a day,\nTill big with child she went away.\n20[O.3] She went into the wide wilderness;\nPoor she was to be pitied for heaviness.\n20[O.4] She leant her back against a tree,\nAnd there she endurd much misery.\n20[O.5] She leant her back against an oak,\nWith bitter sighs these words she spoke.\n20[O.6] She set her foot against a thorne,\nAnd there she had two pretty babes born.\n20[O.7] She took her filliting off her head,\nAnd there she ty\u2019d them hand and leg.\n20[O.8] She had a penknife long [and] sharp,\nAnd there she stuck them to the heart.\n20[O.9] She dug a grave, it was long and deep,\nAnd there she laid them in to sleep.\n20[O.10] The coldest earth it was their bed,\nThe green grass was their coverlid.\n20[O.11] As she was a going by her father\u2019s hall,\nShe see three children a playing at ball.\n20[O.12] One was drest in scarlet fine,\nAnd the other[s was naked] as ere they was born.\n20[O.13] \u2018O mother, O mother, if these children was mine,\nI wold dress them [in] scarlet fine.\u2019\n20[O.14] \u2018O mother, O mother, when we was thine,\nYou did not dress [us] in scarlet fine.\n20[O.15] \u2018You set your back against a tree,\nAnd there you endured great misery.\n20[O.16] \u2018You set your foot against a thorne,\nAnd there you had us pritty babes born.\n20[O.17] \u2018You took your filliting off your head,\nAnd there you bound us, hand to leg.\n20[O.18] \u2018You had a penknife long and sharp,\nAnd there you stuck us to the heart.\n20[O.19] \u2018You dug a grave, it was long and deep,\nAnd there you laid us in to sleep.\n20[O.20] The coldest earth it was our bed,\nThe green grass was our coverlid.\n20[O.21] \u2018O mother, mother, for your sin\nHeaven-gate you shall not enter in.\n20[O.22] \u2018O mother, mother, for your sin\nHell-gates stands open to let you in.\u2019\n20[O.23] The lady\u2019s cheeks lookd pale and wan,\n\u2018Alass I,\u2019 said she, \u2019what have I done!\u2019\n20[O.24] She tore her silken locks of hair,\nAnd dy\u2019d away in sad despair.\n20[O.25] Young ladies all, of beauty bright,\nTake warning by her last good-night.\n20[Q]: The Cruel Mother\n20[Q].1 There was a lady, a lady of York,\nRefrain: Ri fol i diddle i gee wo\n20[Q.1] She fell a-courting in her own father\u2019s park.\nRefrain: Down by the greenwood side, O\n20[Q.2] She leaned her back against the stile,\nThere she had two pretty babes born.\n20[Q.3] And she had nothing to lap \u2019em in,\nBut she had a penknife sharp and keen.\n20[Q.4] . . . . . . . . .\nThere she stabbed them right through the heart.\n20[Q.5] She wiped the penknife in the sludge;\nThe more she wiped it, the more the blood showed.\n20[Q.6] As she was walking in her own father\u2019s park,\nShe saw two pretty babes playing with a ball.\n20[Q.7] \u2018Pretty babes, pretty babes, if you were mine,\nI\u2019d dress you up in silks so fine.\u2019\n20[Q.8] \u2018Dear mother, dear mother, [when we were thine,]\nYou dressed us not in silks so fine.\n20[Q.9] \u2018Here we go to the heavens so high,\nYou\u2019ll go to bad when you do die.\u2019","title":"The Child Ballads: 20. The Cruel Mother","type":"page"}