Chapter VIII: Book III: The Twa Brothers (1)

From Jamieson's _Popular Ballads_, i. 59.

The ballad of the _Twa Brothers_, like many of the domestic tragedies with which it is grouped in this volume, is by no means the peculiar property of the island of Great Britain. It finds an exact counterpart in the Swedish ballad _Sven i Roseng[oa]rd_, _Svenska F. V._, No. 67, Arwidsson, No. 87, A, B, which, together with a Finnish version of the same story, thought to be derived from the Swedish, will be found translated in our Appendix. _Edward_, in Percy's _Reliques_, has the same general theme, with the difference that a father is murdered instead of a brother. Motherwell[C] has printed a ballad (_Son Davie_) closely agreeing with _Edward_, except that the crime is again fratricide. He has also furnished another version of _The Twa Brothers_, in which the catastrophe is the consequence of an accident, and this circumstance has led the excellent editor to tax Jamieson with altering one of the most essential features of the ballad, by filling out a defective stanza with four lines that make one brother to have slain the other in a quarrel. Jamieson is, however, justified in giving this more melancholy character to the story, by the tenor of all the kindred pieces, and by the language of his own. It will be observed that both in _Edward_ and _Son Davie_, the wicked act was not only deliberate, but was even instigated by the mother. The departure from the original is undoubtedly on the part of Motherwell's copy, which has softened down a shocking incident to accommodate a modern and refined sentiment. But Jamieson is artistically, as well as critically right, since the effect of the contrast of the remorse of one party and the generosity of the other is heightened by representing the terrible event as the result of ungoverned passion.

[C] The stanza mentioned by Motherwell, as occurring in Werner's
_Twenty Fourth of February_, (Scene i.) is apparently only a
quotation from memory of Herder's translation of _Edward_. When
Motherwell became aware that a similar tradition was common to the
Northern nations of Europe, he could no longer have thought it
possible that an occurrence in the family history of the Somervilles
gave rise to _The Twa Brothers_.

The three Scottish ballads mentioned above, here follow, and Motherwell's _Twa Brothers_ will be found in the Appendix. Mr. Sharpe has inserted a third copy of this in his _Ballad Book_, p. 56. Another is said to be in _The Scot's Magazine_, for June, 1822. Placing no confidence in any of Allan Cunningham's _souvenirs_ of Scottish Song, we simply state that one of them, composed upon the theme of the _Twa Brothers_, is included in the _Songs of Scotland_, ii. 16.

"The common title of this ballad is, _The Twa Brothers_, or, _The Wood o' Warslin_, but the words _o' Warslin_ appearing to the editor, as will be seen in the text, to be a mistake for _a-wrestling_, he took the liberty of altering it accordingly. After all, perhaps, the title may be right; and the wood may afterwards have obtained its denomination from the tragical event here celebrated. A very few lines inserted by the editor to fill up chasms, [some of which have been omitted,] are inclosed in brackets; the text, in other respects, is given genuine, as it was taken down from the recitation of Mrs. Arrott." JAMIESON.

"O will ye gae to the school, brother?
Or will ye gae to the ba'?
Or will ye gae to the wood a-warslin,
To see whilk o's maun fa'?"

"It's I winna gae to the school, brother; 5
Nor will I gae to the ba'?
But I will gae to the wood a-warslin;
And it is you maun fa'."

They warstled up, they warstled down,
The lee-lang simmer's day; 10
[And nane was near to part the strife,
That raise atween them tway,
Till out and Willie's drawn his sword,
And did his brother slay.]

"O lift me up upon your back; 15
Tak me to yon wall fair;
You'll wash my bluidy wounds o'er and o'er,
And syne they'll bleed nae mair.

"And ye'll tak aff my Hollin sark,
And riv't frae gair to gair; 20
Ye'll stap it in my bluidy wounds,
And syne they'll bleed nae mair."

He's liftit his brother upon his back;
Ta'en him to yon wall fair;
He's washed his bluidy wounds o'er and o'er, 25
But ay they bled mair and mair.

And he's ta'en aff his Hollin sark,
And riven't frae gair to gair;
He's stappit it in his bluidy wounds;
But ay they bled mair and mair. 30

"Ye'll lift me up upon your back,
Tak me to Kirkland fair;[L32]
Ye'll mak my greaf baith braid and lang,
And lay my body there.

"Ye'll lay my arrows at my head, 35
My bent bow at my feet;
My sword and buckler at my side,
As I was wont to sleep.

"Whan ye gae hame to your father,
He'll speer for his son John:-- 40
Say, ye left him into Kirkland fair,
Learning the school alone.

"When ye gae hame to my sister,
She'll speer for her brother John:--
Ye'll say, ye left him in Kirkland fair, 45
The green grass growin aboon.

"Whan ye gae hame to my true love,
She'll speer for her lord John:--
Ye'll say, ye left him in Kirkland fair,
But hame ye fear he'll never come."-- 50

He's gane hame to his father;
He speered for his son John:
"It's I left him into Kirkland fair,
Learning the school alone."

And whan he gaed hame to his sister, 55
She speered for her brother John:--
"It's I left him into Kirkland fair,
The green grass growin aboon."

And whan he gaed hame to his true love,
She speer'd for her lord John: 60
"It's I left him into Kirkland fair,
And hame I fear he'll never come."

"But whaten bluid's that on your sword, Willie?
Sweet Willie, tell to me."
"O it is the bluid o' my grey hounds; 65
They wadna rin for me."

"It's nae the bluid o' your hounds, Willie;
Their bluid was never so red;
But it is the bluid o' my true love,
That ye hae slain indeed." 70

That fair may wept, that fair may mourn'd,
That fair may mourn'd and pin'd;
"When every lady looks for her love,
I ne'er need look for mine."

"O whaten a death will ye die, Willie? 75
Now, Willie, tell to me."
"Ye'll put me in a bottomless boat,
And I'll gae sail the sea."

"Whan will ye come hame again, Willie?
Now, Willie, tell to me." 80
"Whan the sun and moon dances on the green,
And that will never be."

32. "The house of Inchmurry, formerly called Kirkland, was built of old by the abbot of Holyrood-house, for his accommodation when he came to that country, and was formerly the minister's manse." _Stat. Ac. of Scotland_, vol. xiii. p. 506. J.

EDWARD, EDWARD.

"This curious Song was transmitted to the Editor by Sir David
Dalrymple, Bart., late Lord Hailes."
PERCY, _Reliques_, i. 61.

"Quhy dois zour brand sae drop w' bluid,
Edward, Edward?
Quhy dois zour brand sae drop wi' bluid,
And quhy sae sad gang zee O?"
"O I hae killed my hauke sae guid, 5
Mither, mither:
O I hae killed my hauke sae guid,
And I had nae mair bot hee O."

"Zour haukis bluid was nevir sae reid,
Edward, Edward: 10
Zour haukis bluid was nevir sae reid,
My deir son I tell thee O."
"O I hae killed my reid-roan steid,
Mither, mither:
O I hae killed my reid-roan steid, 15
That erst was sae fair and free O."

"Zour steid was auld, and ze hae gat mair,
Edward, Edward:
Zour steid was auld, and ze hae gat mair,
Sum other dule ze drie O." 20
"O I hae killed my fadir deir,
Mither, mither:
O I hae killed my fadir deir,
Alas! and wae is mee O!"

"And quhatten penance wul ze drie, for that, 25
Edward, Edward?
And quhatten penance will ze drie for that?
My deir son, now tell me O."
"Ile set my feit in zonder boat,
Mither, mither: 30
Ile set my feit in zonder boat,
And Ile fare ovir the sea O."

"And quhat wul ze doe wi' zour towirs and zour ha',
Edward, Edward?
And quhat wul ze doe wi' zour towirs and zour ha', 35
That were sae fair to see O?"
"Ile let thame stand til they doun fa',
Mither, mither:
Ile let thame stand til they doun fa',
For here nevir mair maun I bee O." 40

"And quhat wul ze leive to zour bairns and zour wife,
Edward, Edward?
And quhat wul ze leive to zour bairns and zour wife,
Quhan ze gang ovir the sea O?"
"The warldis room, late them beg throw life, 45
Mither, mither:
The warldis room, late them beg throw life,
For thame nevir mair wul I see O."

"And quhat wul ze leive to zour ain mither deir,
Edward, Edward? 50
And quhat wul ze leive to zour ain mither deir?
My deir son, now tell me O."
"The curse of hell frae me sall ze beir,
Mither, mither:
The curse of hell frae me sall ze beir, 55
Sic counseils ze gave to me O."

SON DAVIE, SON DAVIE.

From the recitation of an old woman. Motherwell's _Minstrelsy_, 339.

"What bluid's that on thy coat lap?
Son Davie! son Davie!
What bluid's that on thy coat lap?
And the truth come tell to me O."

"It is the bluid of my great hawk, 5
Mother lady! mother lady!
It is the bluid of my great hawk,
And the truth I hae tald to thee O."

"Hawk's bluid was ne'er sae red,
Son Davie! son Davie! 10
Hawk's bluid was ne'er sae red,
And the truth come tell to me O."

"It is the bluid o' my grey hound,
Mother lady! mother lady!
It is the bluid of my grey hound, 15
And it wudna rin for me O."

"Hound's bluid was ne'er sae red,
Son Davie! son Davie!
Hound's bluid was ne'er sae red,
And the truth come tell to me O." 20

"It is the bluid o' my brother John,
Mother lady! mother lady!
It is the bluid o' my brother John,
And the truth I hae tald to thee O."

"What about did the plea begin? 25
Son Davie! son Davie!"
"It began about the cutting o' a willow wand,
That would never hae been a tree O."

"What death dost thou desire to die?
Son Davie! son Davie! 30
What death dost thou desire to die?
And the truth come tell to me O."

"I'll set my foot in a bottomless ship,
Mother lady! mother lady!
I'll set my foot in a bottomless ship, 35
And ye'll never see mair o' me O."

"What wilt thou leave to thy poor wife?
Son Davie! son Davie!"
"Grief and sorrow all her life,
And she'll never get mair frae me O." 40

"What wilt thou leave to thy auld son?
Son Davie! son Davie!"
"The weary warld to wander up and down,
And he'll never get mair o' me O."

"What wilt thou leave to thy mother dear? 45
Son Davie! son Davie!"
"A fire o' coals to burn her wi' hearty cheer,
And she'll never get mair o' me O."

THE CRUEL SISTER.

The earliest printed copy of this ballad is the curious piece in _Wit Restor'd_, (1658,) called _The Miller and the King's Daughter_, improperly said to be a parody, by Jamieson and others. (See Appendix.) Pinkerton inserted in his _Tragic Ballads_, (p. 72,) a ballad on the subject, which preserves many genuine lines, but is half his own composition. Complete versions were published by Scott and Jamieson, and more recently a third has been furnished in Sharpe's _Ballad Book_, p. 30, and a fourth in Buchan's _Ballads of the North of Scotland_ (given at the end of this volume). The burden of Mr. Sharpe's copy is nearly the same as that of the _Cruel Mother_, _post_, p. 372. Jamieson's copy had also this burden, but he exchanged it for the more popular, and certainly more tasteful, _Binnorie_. No ballad furnishes a closer link than this between the popular poetry of England and that of the other nations of Northern Europe. The same story is found in Icelandic, Norse, Faroish, and Estnish ballads, as well as in the Swedish and Danish, and a nearly related one in many other ballads or tales, German, Polish, Lithuanian, etc., etc.--See _Svenska Folk-Visor_, iii. 16, i. 81, 86, Arwidsson, ii. 139, and especially _Den Talende Strengeleg_, Grundtvig, No. 95, and the notes to _Der Singende Knochen_, _K. u. H. M[:a]rchen_, iii. 55, ed. 1856.

Of the edition in the _Border Minstrelsy_, Scott gives the following account, (iii. 287.)

"It is compiled from a copy in Mrs. Brown's MSS., intermixed with a beautiful fragment, of fourteen verses, transmitted to the Editor by J. C. Walker, Esq. the ingenious historian of the Irish bards. Mr. Walker, at the same time, favored the Editor with the following note: 'I am indebted to my departed friend, Miss Brook, for the foregoing pathetic fragment. Her account of it was as follows: This song was trans-scribed, several years ago, from the memory of an old woman, who had no recollection of the concluding verses; probably the beginning may also be lost, as it seems to commence abruptly.' The first verse and burden of the fragment ran thus:--

'O sister, sister, reach thy hand!
_Hey ho, my Nanny, O_;
And you shall be heir of all my land,
_While the swan swims bonney, O_.'"

There were two sisters sat in a bour;
_B['i]nnorie, O B['i]nnorie_;
There came a knight to be their wooer;
_By the bonny milldams of Binnorie_.

He courted the eldest with glove and ring, 5
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_;
But he lo'ed the youngest abune a' thing;
_By the bonny milldams of Binnorie_.

He courted the eldest with broach and knife,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_; 10
But he lo'ed the youngest abune his life;
_By the bonny milldams of Binnorie_.

The eldest she was vexed sair,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_;
And sore envied her sister fair; 15
_By the bonny milldams of Binnorie_.

The eldest said to the youngest ane,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_;
"Will ye go and see our father's ships come in?"
_By the bonny milldams of Binnorie_. 20

She's ta'en her by the lily hand,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_;
And led her down to the river strand;
_By the bonny milldams of Binnorie_.

The youngest stude upon a stane, 25
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_;
The eldest came and pushed her in;
_By the bonny milldams of Binnorie_.

She took her by the middle sma',
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_; 30
And dash'd her bonny back to the jaw;
_By the bonny milldams of Binnorie_.

"O sister, sister, reach your hand,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_;
And ye shall be heir of half my land."-- 35
_By the bonny milldams of Binnorie_.

"O sister, I'll not reach my hand,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_;
And I'll be heir of all your land;
_By the bonny milldams of Binnorie_. 40

"Shame fa' the hand that I should take,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_;
It's twin'd me and my world's make."--
_By the bonny milldams of Binnorie_.

"O sister, reach me but your glove, 45
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_;
And sweet William shall be your love."--
_By the bonny milldams of Binnorie_.

"Sink on, nor hope for hand or glove!
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_; 50
And sweet William shall better be my love,
_By the bonny milldams of Binnorie_.

"Your cherry cheeks and your yellow hair,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_,
Garr'd me gang maiden evermair."-- 55
_By the bonny milldams of Binnorie_.

Sometimes she sunk, and sometimes she swam,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_;
Until she cam to the miller's dam;
_By the bonny milldams of Binnorie_. 60

"O father, father, draw your dam!
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_;
There's either a mermaid, or a milk-white swan."
_By the bonny milldams of Binnorie_.

The miller hasted and drew his dam, 65
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_;
And there he found a drown'd woman;
_By the bonny milldams of Binnorie_.

You could not see her yellow hair,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_; 70
For gowd and pearls that were so rare;
_By the bonny milldams of Binnorie_.

You could not see her middle sma',
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_;
Her gowden girdle was sae bra'; 75
_By the bonny milldams of Binnorie_.

A famous harper passing by,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_;
The sweet pale face he chanced to spy;
_By the bonny milldams of Binnorie_. 80

And when he looked that lady on,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_;
He sigh'd and made a heavy moan;
_By the bonny milldams of Binnorie_.

He made a harp of her breast-bone, 85
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_;
Whose sounds would melt a heart of stone;
_By the bonny milldams of Binnorie_.

The strings he framed of her yellow hair,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_; 90
Whose notes made sad the listening ear;
_By the bonny milldams of Binnorie_.

He brought it to her father's hall,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_;
And there was the court assembled all; 95
_By the bonny milldams of Binnorie_.

He laid his harp upon a stone,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_;
And straight it began to play alone;
_By the bonny milldams of Binnorie_. 100

"O yonder sits my father, the king,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_;
And yonder sits my mother, the queen;"
_By the bonny milldams of Binnorie_.

"And yonder stands my brother Hugh, 105
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_;
And by him my William, sweet and true."
_By the bonny milldams of Binnorie_.

But the last tune that the harp play'd then,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_; 110
Was--"Woe to my sister, false Helen!"
_By the bonny milldams of Binnorie_.

THE TWA SISTERS.

_Verbatim_ (with one interpolated stanza) from the recitation of Mrs. Brown. Jamieson's _Popular Ballads_, i. 50.

There was twa sisters liv'd in a bower,
_B['i]nnorie, O B['i]nnorie_!
There came a knight to be their wooer,
_By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie_.

He courted the eldest wi' glove and ring, 5
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_!
But he loved the youngest aboon a' thing,
_By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie_.

He courted the eldest wi' broach and knife,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_! 10
But he loved the youngest as his life,
_By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie_.

The eldest she was vexed sair,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_!
And sair envied her sister fair, 15
_By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie_.

Intill her bower she coudna rest,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_!
Wi' grief and spite she maistly brast,
_By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie_. 20

Upon a morning fair and clear,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_!
She cried upon her sister dear,
_By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie_.

"O sister, come to yon sea strand, 25
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_!
And see our father's ships come to land,"
_By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie_.

She's ta'en her by the milk-white hand,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_! 30
And led her down to yon sea strand,
_By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie_.

The youngest stood upon a stane,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_!
The eldest came and threw her in, 35
_By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie_.

She took her by the middle sma'
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_!
And dashed her bonny back to the jaw,
_By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie_. 40

"O sister, sister, tak my hand,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_!
And I'se mak ye heir to a' my land,
_By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie_.

"O sister, sister, tak my middle, 45
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_!
And ye's get my goud and my gouden girdle,
_By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie_.

"O sister, sister, save my life,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_! 50
And I swear I'se never be nae man's wife,"
_By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie_.

"Foul fa' the hand that I should tak,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_!
It twin'd me o' my warldes mak, 55
_By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie_.

"Your cherry cheeks and yellow hair
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_!
Gars me gang maiden for evermair,"
_By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie_. 60

Sometimes she sank, sometimes she swam,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_!
Till she came to the mouth o' yon mill-dam,
_By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie_.

O out it came the miller's son, 65
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_!
And saw the fair maid soummin in,
_By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie_.

"O father, father, draw your dam,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_! 70
There's either a mermaid or a swan,"
_By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie_.

[The miller quickly drew the dam,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_!
And there he found a drown'd woman, 75
_By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie_.]

"And sair and lang mat their teen last,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_!
That wrought thee sic a dowie cast,"
_By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie_! 80

You coudna see her yellow hair
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_!
For goud and pearl that was sae rare,
_By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie_.

You coudna see her middle sma' 85
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_!
For gouden girdle that was sae braw,
_By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie_.

You coudna see her fingers white,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_! 90
For gouden rings that were sae gryte,
_By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie_.

And by there came a harper fine,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_!
That harped to the king at dine, 95
_By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie_.

Whan he did look that lady upon,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_!
He sigh'd and made a heavy moan,
_By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie_. 100

He's ta'en three locks o' her yellow hair,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_!
And wi' them strung his harp sae fair,
_By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie_.

The first tune it did play and sing, 105
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_!
Was, "Fareweel to my father the king,"
_By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie_.

The nexten tune that it play'd seen,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_! 110
Was, "Fareweel to my mither the queen,"
_By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie_.

The thirden tune that it play'd then,
_Binnorie, O Binnorie_!
Was, "Wae to my sister, fair Ellen," 115
_By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie_!

LORD DONALD.

Kinloch's _Ancient Scottish Ballads_, p. 110.

Like the two which preceded it, this ballad is common to the Gothic nations. It exists in a great variety of forms. Two stanzas, recovered by Burns, were printed in Johnson's _Museum_, i. 337; two others were inserted by Jamieson, in his _Illustrations_, p. 319. The _Border Minstrelsy_ furnished five stanzas, giving the _story_, without the bequests. Allan Cunningham's alteration of Scott's version, (_Scottish Songs_, i. 285,) has one stanza more. Kinloch procured from the North of Scotland the following complete copy.

In the Appendix, we have placed a nursery song on the same subject, still familiar in Scotland, and translations of the corresponding German and Swedish ballads--both most remarkable cases of parallelism in popular romance.

Lord Donald, as Kinloch remarks, would seem to have been poisoned by eating toads prepared as fishes. Scott, in his introduction to _Lord Randal_, has quoted from an old chronicle, a fabulous account of the poisoning of King John by means of a cup of ale, in which the venom of this reptile had been infused.

"O whare hae ye been a' day, Lord Donald, my son?
O whare hae ye been a' day, my jollie young man?"
"I've been awa courtin':--mither, mak my bed sune,
For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie doun."

"What wad ye hae for your supper, Lord Donald, my son? 5
What wad ye hae for your supper, my jollie young man?"
"I've gotten my supper:--mither, mak my bed sune,
For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie doun."

"What did ye get for your supper, Lord Donald, my son?
What did ye get for your supper, my jollie young man?" 10
"A dish of sma' fishes:--mither, mak my bed sune,
For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie doun."

"Whare gat ye the fishes, Lord Donald, my son?
Whare gat ye the fishes, my jollie young man?"
"In my father's black ditches:--mither, mak my bed sune, 15
For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie doun."

"What like were your fishes, Lord Donald, my son?
What like were your fishes, my jollie young man?"
"Black backs and spreckl'd bellies:--mither, mak my bed sune,
For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie doun." 20

"O I fear ye are poison'd, Lord Donald, my son!
O I fear ye are poison'd, my jollie young man!"
"O yes! I am poison'd:--mither mak my bed sune,
For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie doun."

"What will ye leave to your father, Lord Donald my son? 25
What will ye leave to your father, my jollie young man?"
"Baith my houses and land:--mither, mak my bed sune,
For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie doun."

"What will ye leave to your brither, Lord Donald, my son?
What will ye leave to your brither, my jollie young man?" 30
"My horse and the saddle:--mither, mak my bed sune,
For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie doun."

"What will ye leave to your sister, Lord Donald, my son?
What will ye leave to your sister, my jollie young man?"
"Baith my gold box and rings:--mither, mak my bed sune, 35
For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie doun."

"What will ye leave to your true-love, Lord Donald, my son?
What will ye leave to your true-love, my jollie young man?"
"The tow and the halter, for to hang on yon tree,
And lat her hang there for the poysoning o' me." 40

LORD RANDAL (B).

From _Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border_, (iii. 49.)

Scott changed the name of the hero of this piece from _Lord Ronald_ to _Lord Randal_, on the authority of a single copy. The change is unimportant, but the reason will appear curious, if we remember that the Swedes and Germans have the ballad as well as the Scotch;--"because, though the circumstances are so very different, I think it not impossible, that the ballad may have originally regarded the death of Thomas Randolph, or Randal, Earl of Murray, nephew to Robert Bruce, and governor of Scotland."

"O where hae ye been Lord Randal, my son?
O where hae ye been, my handsome young man?"--
"I hae been to the wild wood; mother make my bed soon,
For I'm weary wi' hunting, and fain wald lie down."--

"Where gat ye your dinner, Lord Randal, my son? 5
Where gat ye your dinner, my handsome young man?"
"I dined wi' my true-love; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm weary wi' hunting, and fain wald lie down."--

"What gat ye to your dinner, Lord Randal, my son?
What gat ye to your dinner, my handsome young man?"-- 10
"I gat eels boil'd in broo; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm weary wi' hunting, and fain wald lie down."--

"What became of your bloodhounds, Lord Randal, my son?
What became of your bloodhounds, my handsome young man?"--
"O they swell'd and they died; mother, make my bed soon, 15
For I'm weary wi' hunting, and fain wald lie down."--

"O I fear ye are poison'd, Lord Randal, my son!
O I fear ye are poisoned, my handsome young man!"--
"O yes! I am poison'd; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie down." 20

THE CRUEL BROTHER:

OR,

THE BRIDE'S TESTAMENT.

Of this ballad, which is still commonly recited and sung in Scotland, four copies have been published. The following is from Jamieson's collection, i. 66, where it was printed _verbatim_ after the recitation of Mrs. Arrott. A copy from Aytoun's collection is subjoined, which is nearly the same as a less perfect one in Herd, i. 149, and the fourth, from Gilbert's _Ancient Christmas Carols_, &c., is in the Appendix to this volume.

The conclusion, or testamentary part, occurs very frequently in ballads, e. g. _Den lillas Testamente_, _Svenska Folk-Visor_, No. 68, translated in the Appendix to this volume, the end of _Den onde Svigermoder_, _Danske Viser_, i. 261, translated in _Illustrations of Northern Antiquities_, p. 344, _M[:o]en paa Baalet_, Grundtvig, No. 109, A, st. 18-21, and _Kong Valdemar og hans S[:o]ster_, Grundtvig, No. 126, A, st. 101-105. See also _Edward_, and _Lord Donald_, p. 225, p. 244.

There was three ladies play'd at the ba',
_With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_;
There came a knight, and play'd o'er them a',
_As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.

The eldest was baith tall and fair, 5
_With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_;
But the youngest was beyond compare,
_As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.

The midmost had a gracefu' mien,
_With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_; 10
But the youngest look'd like beauty's queen,
_As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.

The knight bow'd low to a' the three,
_With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_;
But to the youngest he bent his knee, 15
_As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.

The lady turned her head aside,
_With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_;
The knight he woo'd her to be his bride,
_As the primrose spreads so sweetly_. 20

The lady blush'd a rosy red,
_With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_;
And said, "Sir knight, I'm o'er young to wed,"
_As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.

"O lady fair, give me your hand, 25
_With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_;
And I'll mak you ladie of a' my land,"
_As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.

"Sir knight, ere you my favor win,
_With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_; 30
Ye maun get consent frae a' my kin,"
_As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.

He has got consent fra her parents dear,
_With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_;
And likewise frae her sisters fair, 35
_As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.

He has got consent frae her kin each one,
_With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_;
But forgot to speer at her brother John,
_As the primrose spreads so sweetly_. 40

Now, when the wedding day was come,
_With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_;
The knight would take his bonny bride home,
_As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.

And many a lord and many a knight, 45
_With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_;
Came to behold that lady bright,
_As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.

And there was nae man that did her see,
_With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_, 50
But wished himself bridegroom to be,
_As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.

Her father dear led her down the stair,
_With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_;
And her sisters twain they kiss'd her there, 55
_As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.

Her mother dear led her through the close,
_With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_;
And her brother John set her on her horse,
_As the primrose spreads so sweetly_. 60

She lean'd her o'er the saddle-bow,
_With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_,
To give him a kiss ere she did go,
_As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.

He has ta'en a knife, baith lang and sharp, 65
_With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_,
And stabb'd the bonny bride to the heart,
_As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.

She hadna ridden half thro' the town,
_With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_, 70
Until her heart's blood stained her gown,
_As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.

"Ride saftly on," said the best young man,
_With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_;
"For I think our bonny bride looks pale and wan," 75
_As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.

"O lead me gently up yon hill,
_With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_,
And I'll there sit down, and make my will,"
_As the primrose spreads so sweetly_. 80

"O what will you leave to your father dear?"
_With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_;
"The silver-shod steed that brought me here,"
_As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.

"What will you leave to your mother dear?" 85
_With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_;
"My velvet pall and silken gear,"
_As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.

"And what will ye leave to your sister Ann?"
_With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_; 90
"My silken scarf, and my golden fan,"
_As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.

"What will ye leave to your sister Grace?"
_With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_;
"My bloody cloaths to wash and dress," 95
_As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.

"What will ye leave to your brother John?"
_With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_;
"The gallows-tree to hang him on,"
_As the primrose spreads so sweetly_. 100

"What will ye leave to your brother John's wife?"
_With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_;
"The wilderness to end her life,"
_As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.

This fair lady in her grave was laid, 105
_With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_;
And a mass was o'er her said,
_As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.

But it would have made your heart right sair,
_With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_; 110
To see the bridegroom rive his hair,
_As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.

THE CRUEL BROTHER.

From Aytoun's _Ballads of Scotland_ (2d ed.), i. 232, "taken down from recitation." Found also, but with several stanzas wanting, in Herd's _Scottish Songs_, i. 149. The title in both collections is _Fine Flowers i' the Valley_. This part of the refrain is found in one of the versions of the _Cruel Mother_, p. 269. To Herd's copy are annexed two fragmentary stanzas with nearly the same burden as that of the foregoing ballad.

She louted down to gie a kiss,
_With a hey and a lily gay_;
He stuck his penknife in her hass,
_And the rose it smells so sweetly_.

"Ride up, ride up," cry'd the foremost man,
_With a hey and a lily gay_;
"I think our bride looks pale and wan,"
_And the rose it smells so sweetly_.

There were three sisters in a ha',
_Fine flowers i' the valley_,
There came three lords amang them a',
_The red, green, and the yellow_.

The first o' them was clad in red, 5
_Fine flowers i' the valley_;
"O lady, will ye be my bride?"
_Wi' the red, green, and the yellow_.

The second o' them was clad in green,
_Fine flowers i' the valley_; 10
"O lady, will ye be my queen?"
_Wi' the red, green, and the yellow_.

The third o' them was clad in yellow,
_Fine flowers i' the valley_;
"O lady, will ye be my marrow?" 15
_Wi' the red, green, and the yellow_.

"O ye maun ask my father dear,"
_Fine flowers i' the valley_,
"Likewise the mother that did me bear,"
_Wi' the red, green, and the yellow_. 20

"And ye maun ask my sister Ann,"
_Fine flowers i' the valley_;
"And not forget my brother John,"
_Wi' the red, green, and the yellow_.

"O I have asked thy father dear," 25
_Fine flowers i' the valley_,
"Likewise the mother that did thee bear,"
_Wi' the red, green, and the yellow_.

"And I have asked your sister Ann,"
_Fine flowers i' the valley_; 30
"But I forgot your brother John;"
_Wi' the red, green, and the yellow_.

Now when the wedding-day was come,
_Fine flowers i' the valley_,
The knight would take his bonny bride home, 35
_Wi' the red, green, and the yellow_.

And mony a lord, and mony a knight,
_Fine flowers i' the valley_,
Cam to behold that lady bright,
_Wi' the red, green, and the yellow_. 40

There was nae man that did her see,
_Fine flowers i' the valley_,
But wished himsell bridegroom to be,
_Wi' the red, green, and the yellow_.

Her father led her down the stair, 45
_Fine flowers i' the valley_,
And her sisters twain they kissed her there,
_Wi' the red, green, and the yellow_.

Her mother led her through the close,
_Fine flowers i' the valley_; 50
Her brother John set her on her horse,
_Wi' the red, green, and the yellow_.

"You are high and I am low,"
_Fine flowers i' the valley_;
"Give me a kiss before you go," 55
_Wi' the red, green, and the yellow_.

She was louting down to kiss him sweet,
_Fine flowers i' the valley_;
When wi' his knife he wounded her deep,
_Wi' the red, green, and the yellow_. 60

She hadna ridden through half the town,
_Fine flowers i' the valley_,
Until her heart's blood stained her gown,
_Wi' the red, green, and the yellow_.

"Ride saftly on," said the best young man, 65
_Fine flowers i' the valley_;
"I think our bride looks pale and wan!"
_Wi' the red, green, and the yellow_.

"O lead me over into yon stile,"
_Fine flowers i' the valley_, 70
"That I may stop and breathe awhile,"
_Wi' the red, green, and the yellow_.

"O lead me over into yon stair,"
_Fine flowers i' the valley_,
"For there I'll lie and bleed nae mair," 75
_Wi' the red, green, and the yellow_.

"O what will you leave to your father dear?"
_Fine flowers i' the valley_;
"The siller-shod steed that brought me here,"
_Wi' the red, green, and the yellow_. 80

"What will you leave to your mother dear?"
_Fine flowers i' the valley_;
"My velvet pall, and my pearlin' gear,"
_Wi' the red, green, and the yellow_.

"What will you leave to your sister Ann?" 85
_Fine flowers i' the valley_;
"My silken gown that stands its lane,"
_Wi' the red, green, and the yellow_.

"What will you leave to your sister Grace?"
_Fine flowers i' the valley_; 90
"My bluidy shirt to wash and dress,"
_Wi' the red, green, and the yellow_.

"What will you leave to your brother John?"
_Fine flowers i' the valley_;
"The gates o' hell to let him in," 95
_Wi' the red, green, and the yellow_.

LADY ANNE.

From _Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border_, iii. 18.

"This ballad was communicated to me by Mr. Kirkpatrick Sharpe of Hoddom, who mentions having copied it from an old magazine. Although it has probably received some modern corrections, the general turn seems to be ancient, and corresponds with that of a fragment which I have often heard sung in my childhood."

The version to which Sir Walter Scott refers, and part of which he proceeds to quote, had been printed in Johnson's _Museum_. It is placed immediately after the present, with other copies of the ballad from Motherwell and Kinloch.

In Buchan's _Ballads of the North of Scotland_ there are two more, which are repeated with slight variations in the XVII. Vol. of the Percy Society, p. 46, p. 50. Both will be found in the Appendix. The copy in Buchan's _Gleanings_, p. 90, seems to be taken from Scott. Smith's _Scottish Minstrel_, iv. 33, affords still another variety.

In German, _Die Kindesm[:o]rderin_, Erk's _Liederhort_, No. 41, five copies; Erlach, iv. 148; Hoffmann, _Schlesische V. L._, No. 31, 32; _Wunderhorn_, ii. 202; Zuccalmaglio, No. 97; Meinert, No. 81; Simrock, p. 87. (But some of these are repetitions.) Wendish, Haupt and Schmaler, I. No. 292, and with considerable differences, I. No. 290, II. 197. This last reference is taken from Grundtvig, ii. 531.

Fair Lady Anne sate in her bower,
Down by the greenwood side,
And the flowers did spring, and the birds did sing,
'Twas the pleasant May-day tide.

But fair Lady Anne on Sir William call'd, 5
With the tear grit in her ee,
"O though thou be fause, may Heaven thee guard,
In the wars ayont the sea!"--

Out of the wood came three bonnie boys,
Upon the simmer's morn, 10
And they did sing and play at the ba',
As naked as they were born.

"O seven lang years wad I sit here,
Amang the frost and snaw,
A' to hae but ane o' these bonnie boys, 15
A playing at the ba'."--

Then up and spake the eldest boy,
"Now listen, thou fair ladie,
And ponder well the rede that I tell,
Then make ye a choice of the three. 20

"'Tis I am Peter, and this is Paul,
And that ane, sae fair to see,
But a twelve-month sinsyne to paradise came,
To join with our companie."--

"O I will hae the snaw-white boy, 25
The bonniest of the three."--
"And if I were thine, and in thy propine,
O what wad ye do to me?"--

"'Tis I wad clead thee in silk and gowd,
And nourice thee on my knee."-- 30
"O mither! mither! when I was thine,
Sic kindness I couldna see.

"Beneath the turf, where now I stand,
The fause nurse buried me;
The cruel penknife sticks still in my heart, 35
And I come not back to thee."--

* * * * * * *

FINE FLOWERS IN THE VALLEY.

From Johnson's _Musical Museum_, p. 331.

The first line of the burden is found also in _The Cruel Brother_, p. 258.

She sat down below a thorn,
_Fine flowers in the valley_;
And there she has her sweet babe born,
_And the green leaves they grow rarely_.

"Smile na sae sweet, my bonnie babe, 5
_Fine flowers in the valley_,
And ye smile sae sweet, ye'll smile me dead,"
_And the green leaves they grow rarely_.

She's taen out her little penknife,
_Fine flowers in the valley_, 10
And twinn'd the sweet babe o' its life,
_And the green leaves they grow rarely_.

She's howket a grave by the light o' the moon,
_Fine flowers in the valley_,
And there she's buried her sweet babe in, 15
_And the green leaves they grow rarely_.

As she was going to the church,
_Fine flowers in the valley_,
She saw a sweet babe in the porch,
_And the green leaves they grow rarely_. 20

"O sweet babe, and thou were mine,
_Fine flowers in the valley_,
I wad cleed thee in the silk so fine,"
_And the green leaves they grow rarely_.

"O mother dear, when I was thine, 25
_Fine flowers in the valley_,
Ye did na prove to me sae kind,"
_And the green leaves they grow rarely_.

THE CRUEL MOTHER.

From Motherwell's _Minstrelsy_, p. 161.

She leaned her back unto a thorn,
_Three, three, and three by three_;
And there she has her two babes born,
_Three, three, and thirty-three_.

She took frae 'bout her ribbon-belt, 5
And there she bound them hand and foot.

She has ta'en out her wee penknife,
And there she ended baith their life.

She has howked a hole baith deep and wide,
She has put them in baith side by side. 10

She has covered them o'er wi' a marble stane,
Thinking she would gang maiden hame.

As she was walking by her father's castle wa',
She saw twa pretty babes playing at the ba'.

"O bonnie babes! gin ye were mine, 15
I would dress you up in satin fine!

"O I would dress you in the silk,
And wash you ay in morning milk!"

"O cruel mother! we were thine,
And thou made us to wear the twine. 20

"O cursed mother! heaven's high,
And that's where thou will ne'er win nigh.

"O cursed mother! hell is deep,
And there thou'll enter step by step."

THE CRUEL MOTHER.

From Kinloch's _Ancient Scottish Ballads_, p. 46.

Three stanzas of a Warwickshire version closely resembling Kinloch's are given in _Notes and Queries_, vol. viii. p. 358.

There lives a lady in London--
_All alone, and alonie_;
She's gane wi' bairn to the clerk's son--
_Doun by the greenwud sae bonnie_.

She has tane her mantel her about-- 5
_All alone, and alonie_;
She's gane aff to the gude greenwud--
_Doun by the greenwud sae bonnie_.

She has set her back until an aik--
_All alone, and alonie_; 10
First it bowed, and syne it brake--
_Doun by the greenwud sae bonnie_.

She has set her back until a brier--
_All alone, and alonie_;
Bonnie were the twa boys she did bear-- 15
_Doun by the greenwud sae bonnie_.

But out she's tane a little penknife--
_All alone, and alonie_;
And she's parted them and their sweet life--
_Doun by the greenwud sae bonnie_. 20

She's aff unto her father's ha'--
_All alone, and alonie_;
She seem'd the lealest maiden amang them a'--
_Doun by the greenwud sae bonnie_.

As she lookit our the castle wa'-- 25
_All alone, and alonie_;
She spied twa bonnie boys playing at the ba'--
_Doun by the greenwud sae bonnie_.

"O an thae twa babes were mine"--
_All alone, and alonie_; 30
"They should wear the silk and the sabelline"--
_Doun by the greenwud sae bonnie_.

"O mother dear, when we were thine,"
_All alone, and alonie_;
"We neither wore the silks nor the sabelline"-- 35
_Doun by the greenwud sae bonnie_.

"But out ye took a little penknife"--
_All alone, and alonie_;
"An ye parted us and our sweet life"--
_Doun by the greenwud sae bonnie_. 40

"But now we're in the heavens hie"--
_All alone, and alonie_;
"And ye have the pains o' hell to dree"--
_Doun by the greenwud sae bonnie_.

MAY COLVIN, OR FALSE SIR JOHN.

In the very ancient though corrupted ballads of _Lady Isabel and the Elf-Knight_, and _The Water o' Wearie's Well_ (vol. i. p. 195, 198), an Elf or a Merman occupies the place here assigned to False Sir John. Perhaps _May Colvin_ is the result of the same modernizing process by which _Hynde Etin_ has been converted into _Young Hastings the Groom_ (vol. i. p. 294, 189). The coincidence of the name with _Clerk Colvill_, in vol. i. p. 192, may have some significance. This, however, would not be the opinion of Grundtvig, who regards the Norse and German ballads resembling _Lady Isabel_, &c., as compounded of two independent stories. If this be so, then we should rather say that a ballad similar to _May Colvin_ has been made to furnish the conclusion to the pieces referred to.

The story of this ballad has apparently some connection with _Bluebeard_, but it is hard to say what the connection is. (See _Fitchers Vogel_ in the Grimms' _K. u. H.-M[:a]rchen_, No. 46, and notes.) The versions of the ballad in other languages are all but innumerable: e. g. _R[:o]fvaren Rymer_, _R[:o]fvaren Brun_, _Svenska F.-V._, No. 82, 83; _Den Falske Riddaren_, Arwidsson, No. 44; _Ulrich und Aennchen_, _Sch[:o]n Ulrich u. Roth-Aennchen_, _Sch[:o]n Ulrich und Rautendelein_, _Ulinger_, _Herr Halewyn_, etc., in _Wunderhorn_, i. 274; Uhland, 141-157 (four copies); Erk, _Liederhort_, 91, 93; Erlach, iii. 450; Zuccalmaglio, _Deutsche Volkslieder_, No. 15; Hoffmann, _Schlesische Volkslieder_, No. 12, 13, and _Niederl[:a]ndische Volkslieder_, No. 9, 10; etc. etc. A very brief Italian ballad will be found in the Appendix, p. 391, which seems to have the same theme. In some of the ballads the treacherous seducer is an enchanter, who prevails upon the maid to go with him by the power of a spell.

_May Colvin_ was first published in Herd's Collection, vol. i. 153. The copy here given is one obtained from recitation by Motherwell, (_Minstrelsy_, p. 67,) collated by him with that of Herd. It is defective at the end. The other versions in Sharpe's _Ballad Book_, p. 45, and Buchan's _Ballads of the North of Scotland_, ii. 45, though they are provided with some sort of conclusion, are not worth reprinting. A modernized version, styled _The Outlandish Knight_, is inserted in the Notes to _Scottish Traditional Versions of Ancient Ballads_, Percy Society, vol. xvii. 101.

Carlton Castle, on the coast of Carrick, is affirmed by the country people, according to Mr. Chambers, to have been the residence of the perfidious knight, and a precipice overhanging the sea, called "Fause Sir John's Loup," is pointed out as the place where he was wont to drown his wives. May Colvin is equally well ascertained to have been "a daughter of the family of Kennedy of Colzean, now represented by the Earl of Cassilis." Buchan's version assigns a different locality to the transaction--that of "Binyan's Bay," which, says the editor, is the old name of the mouth of the river Ugie.

False Sir John a wooing came
To a maid of beauty fair;
May Colvin was the lady's name,
Her father's only heir.

He's courted her butt, and he's courted her ben, 5
And he's courted her into the ha',
Till once he got this lady's consent
To mount and ride awa'.

She's gane to her father's coffers,
Where all his money lay; 10
And she's taken the red, and she's left the white,
And so lightly as she tripped away.

She's gane down to her father's stable,
Where all his steeds did stand;
And she's taken the best, and she's left the warst, 15
That was in her father's land.

He rode on, and she rode on,
They rode a lang simmer's day,
Until they came to a broad river,
An arm of a lonesome sea. 20

"Loup off the steed," says false Sir John;
"Your bridal bed you see;
For it's seven king's daughters I have drowned here,
And the eighth I'll out make with thee.

"Cast off, cast off your silks so fine, 25
And lay them on a stone,
For they are o'er good and o'er costly
To rot in the salt sea foam.

"Cast off, cast off your Holland smock,
And lay it on this stone, 30
For it is too fine and o'er costly
To rot in the salt sea foam."

"O turn you about, thou false Sir John,
And look to the leaf o' the tree;
For it never became a gentleman 35
A naked woman to see."

He's turn'd himself straight round about,
To look to the leaf o' the tree;
She's twined her arms about his waist,
And thrown him into the sea. 40

"O hold a grip of me, May Colvin,
For fear that I should drown;
I'll take you hame to your father's gates,
And safely I'll set you down."

"O lie you there, thou false Sir John, 45
O lie you there," said she;
"For you lie not in a caulder bed
Than the ane you intended for me."

So she went on her father's steed,
As swift as she could flee, 50
And she came hame to her father's gates
At the breaking of the day.

Up then spake the pretty parrot:
"May Colvin, where have you been?
What has become of false Sir John, 55
That wooed you so late yestreen?"

Up then spake the pretty parrot,
In the bonnie cage where it lay:
"O what hae ye done with the false Sir John,
That he behind you does stay? 60

"He wooed you butt, he wooed you ben,
He wooed you into the ha',
Until he got your own consent
For to mount and gang awa'."

"O hold your tongue, my pretty parrot, 65
Lay not the blame upon me;
Your cage will be made of the beaten gold,
And the spakes of ivorie."

Up then spake the king himself,
In the chamber where he lay: 70
"O what ails the pretty parrot,
That prattles so long ere day?"

"It was a cat cam to my cage door;
I thought 't would have worried me;
And I was calling on fair May Colvin 75
To take the cat from me."

BABYLON,

OR,

THE BONNIE BANKS O' FORDIE.

"This ballad is given from two copies obtained from recitation, which differ but little from each other. Indeed, the only variation is in the verse where the outlawed brother unweetingly slays his sister. One reading is,--

'He's taken out his wee penknife,
_Hey how bonnie_;
And he's twined her o' her ain sweet life,
_On the bonnie banks o' Fordie_.'

The other reading is that adopted in the text. This ballad is popular in the southern parishes of Perthshire: but where the scene is laid the editor has been unable to ascertain. Nor has any research of his enabled him to throw farther light on the history of its hero with the fantastic name, than what the ballad itself supplies." Motherwell's _Minstrelsy_, p. 88.

Another version is subjoined, from Kinloch's collection.

This ballad is found in Danish; _Herr Truels's Doettre_, _Danske Viser_, No. 164. In a note the editor endeavors to show that the story is based on fact!

There were three ladies lived in a bower,
_Eh vow bonnie_,
And they went out to pull a flower,
_On the bonnie banks o' Fordie_.

They hadna pu'ed a flower but ane, 5
_Eh vow bonnie_,
When up started to them a banisht man,
_On the bonnie banks o' Fordie_.

He's ta'en the first sister by her hand,
_Eh vow bonnie_, 10
And he's turned her round and made her stand,
_On the bonnie banks o' Fordie_.

"It's whether will ye be a rank robber's wife,
_Eh vow bonnie_,
Or will ye die by my wee penknife," 15
_On the bonnie banks o' Fordie_?

"It's I'll not be a rank robber's wife,
_Eh vow bonnie_,
But I'll rather die by your wee penknife,"
_On the bonnie banks o' Fordie_. 20

He's killed this may and he's laid her by,
_Eh vow bonnie_,
For to bear the red rose company,
_On the bonnie banks o' Fordie_.

He's taken the second ane by the hand, 25
_Eh vow bonnie_,
And he's turned her round and made her stand,
_On the bonnie banks o' Fordie_.

"It's whether will ye be a rank robber's wife,
_Eh vow bonnie_, 30
Or will ye die by my wee penknife,"
_On the bonnie banks o' Fordie_?

"I'll not be a rank robber's wife,
_Eh vow bonnie_,
But I'll rather die by your wee penknife," 35
_On the bonnie banks o' Fordie_.