The Bonnie Banks o Fordie
3: The Banks of Airdrie
Versions from the Singing Tradition
1: Banks of Airdrie
As sung by Mary Campbell of Huntly
2: Banks of Airdrie
As sung by Mary Reid, Peat Inn, Fife
3: Banks of Airdrie
As sung by Peasie Reid, Torwood, Birnam, Dunkeld
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As sung by Martha (Peasie) Reid, Torwood, Birnam 16 June 1967 (Spr 67.3.1)
Three pretty sisters went a-walking,
Doun by the bonnie banks o Airderie O.
They went a-walking to thy woods,
There they met Bold Robber John,
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Airderie O.
He catched one by thy hand and he wheeled her round,
He wheeled her round and he made her stand,
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Airderie O.
[This verse should presumably read:
He catched the first pretty sister by thy hand,
He wheeled her round and he made her stand,
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Airderie O.]
'Oh will you be aye a rant robber's wife?
Shall you die by my penknife,
On the dewry, dewry banks of Airderie O?'
'Oh I'll not be aye a rant robber's wife,
I shall die by your penknife,
On the dewry, dewry banks of Airderie O.'
He catched the second pretty sister be thy hand,
He wheeled her round and he made her stand,
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Airderie O.
'Oh will you be aye a rant robber's wife?
Shall you die by my penknife,
On the dewry, dewry banks of Airderie O?'
'Oh I'll not be aye a rant robber's wife,
I shall die by your penknife,
On the dewry, dewry banks of Airderie O.'
He catched the third pretty sister be thy hand,
He wheeled her round and he made her stand,
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Airderie O.
'Oh will you be aye a rant robber's wife?
Shall you die by my penknife,
On the dewry, dewry banks of Airderie O?'
'Oh I'll not be aye a rant robber's wife,
I'll not die by your penknife,
On the dewry, dewry banks of Airderie O.'
'I have a brother in this woods,
If you kill me, he's sure to kill you,
On the dewry, dewry banks of Airderie O.'
'Oh come tell to me aye your brother's name,
Come tell to me aye your brother's name,
On the dewry, dewry banks of Airderie O.'
'My brother's name's Bold Robber John,
And if you kill me he's sure to kill you,
On the dewry, dewry banks of Airderie O.'
'Oh dearie me, what is this I have done?
I killed my three pretty sisters aa fit (but) one,
On the dewry, dewry banks of Airderie O.'
Hamish Henderson collected this from Peasie (around 1953) and in this version her last but one verse was as follows:
'I have a brother called Robin John,
I have a brother, a minister in the West,
I have another, banisht owre the seas,
For if you kill me he's sure to kill you,
On the dewry, dewry banks of Airderie O.'
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