The Cruel Mother

The Cruel Mother
Lady Margaret looked oer the castle wa,
Hey and a lo and a lilly O
And she saw twa bonnie babes playing at the ba.
Down by the green wood sidy OChild has 13 versions (A-M) of The Cruel Mother
 
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Version A.[ HOME ] [ Numbered List ]
 
Herd's MSS,i, 132, II, 191: Ancient and Modern Scottish Songs, 1776. II, 237.
 
1 AND there she 's leand her back to a thorn,
Oh and alelladay, oh and alelladay
And there she has her baby born.
Ten thousand times good night and be wi thee.
 
2 She has houked a grave ayont the sun,
And there she has buried the sweet babe in.
 
3 And she's gane back to her father's ha,
She's counted the leelest maid o them a'.
 
* * * * *
4 'O look not sae sweet, my bonie babe,
Gin ye smyle sae, ye'll smyle me dead.'
 
* * * * *
 
 
Version B[ TOP ]
 
'Fine Flowers in the Valley'
 
a.Johnson's Museum, p. 331. b. Scott's Minstrelsy 1803, III, 259, preface
 
1 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.
 
2 'Smile na sae sweet, my bonie babe,
And ye smile sae sweet, ye'll smile me dead.'
 
3 She's taen out her little pen-knife,
And twinnd the sweet babe o its life.
 
4 She's howket a grave by the light o the moon,
And there she s buried her sweet babe in.
 
5 As she was going to the church,
She saw a sweet babe in the porch.
 
6 'O sweet babe, and thou were mine,
I wad cleed thee in the silk so fine.'
 
7 'O mother dear, when I was thine,
You did na prove to me sac kind.'
 
* * * * *
 
 
Version C[ TOP ]
 
'The Cruel Mother'
 
Motherwell's Minstrelsy, p. 161.
 
1 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
 
2 She took frae 'bout her ribbon-belt,
And there she bound them hand and foot.
 
3 She has taen out her wee pen-knife,
And there she ended baith their life.
 
4 She has howked a hole baith deep and wide,
She has put them in baith side by side.
 
5 She has covered them oer wi a marble stane,
Thinking she would gang maiden hame.
 
6 As she was walking by her father's castle wa,
She saw twa pretty babes playing at the ba.
 
7 'O bonnie babes, gin ye were mine,
I would dress you up in satin fine.
 
8 'O I would dress you in the silk,
And wash you ay in morning milk.'
 
9 'O cruel mother, we were thine,
And thou made us to wear the twine.
 
10 'O cursed mother, heaven 's high,
And that's where thou will neer win nigh.
 
11 'O cursed mother, hell is deep,
And there thou'll enter step by step.'
 
 
 
Version D[ TOP ]
 
'The Cruel Mother'
 
a. Kinloch's MSS v, 103, in the handwriting of James Beattie. b. Kinloch's Ancient Scottish Ballads, p. 46: from the recitation of Miss C. Beattie.
 
1 THERE lives a lady in London,
All alone and alone ee
She's gane wi bairn to the clerk's son.
Down by the green wood sae bonnie
 
2 She's taen her mantle her about,
She's gane aff to the gude green wood.
 
3 She's set her back untill an oak,
First it bowed and then it broke.
 
4 She's set ber back until a tree,
Bonny were the twa boys she did bear.
 
5 But she took out a little pen-knife,
And she parted them and their sweet life.
 
6 She's aff until her father's ha;
She was the lealest maiden that was amang them a'.
 
7 As she lookit oure the castle wa,
She spied twa bonnie boys playing at the ba.
 
8 'O if these two babes were mine,
They should wear the silk and the sabelline!'
 
9 'O mother dear, when we were thine,
We neither wore the silks nor the sabelline.
 
10 'But out ye took a little pen-knife,
And ye parted us and our sweet life.
 
11 'But now we're in the heavens hie,
And ye've the pains o hell to drie.'
 
 
 
Version E[ TOP ]
 
Motherwell's MS., p. 390. b. Motherwell's Note-Book, p. 33. From the recitation of Agnes Lyle, Kilbarchan, August 24, 1825.
 
1 THERE was a lady, she lived in Lurk,
Sing hey alone and alonie O
She fell in love with her father's clerk.
Down by yon greenwood sidie O
 
2 She loved him seven years and a day,
Till her big belly did her betray.
 
3 She leaned her back unto a tree,
And there began her sad misery.
 
4 She set her foot unto a thorn,
And there she got her two babes born.
 
5 She took out her wee pen-knife,
She twind them both of their sweet life.
 
6 She took the sattins was on her head,
She rolled them in both when they were dead.
 
7 She howkit a grave forenent the sun,
And there she buried her twa babes in.
 
8 As she was walking thro her father's ha,
She spied twa boys playing at the ha.
 
9 'O pretty boys, if ye were mine,
I would dress ye both in the silks so fine.'
 
10 'O mother dear, when we were thine,
Thou neer dressed us in silks so fine.
 
11 'For thou was a lady, thou livd in Lurk,
And thou fell in love with thy father's clerk.
 
12 'Thou loved him seven years and a day,
Till thy big belly did thee betray.
 
13 'Thou leaned thy back unto a tree,
And there began thy sad misery.
 
14 'Thou set thy foot unto a thorn,
And there thou got thy two babes born.
 
15 'Thou took out thy wee pen-knife,
And twind us both of our sweet life.
 
16 'Thou took the sattins was on thy head,
Thou rolled us both in when we were dead.
 
17 'Thou howkit a grave forenent the sun,
And there thou buried thy twa babes in.
 
18 'But now we 're both in [the] heavens hie,
There is pardon for us, but none for thee.'
 
19 'My pretty boys, beg pardon for me!'
'There is pardon for us, but none for thee.'
 
 
Version F[ TOP ]
 
'The Cruel Mother'
 
a. Buchan's MSS, II, 98. b. Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, II, 222.
 
1 IT fell ance upon a day,
Edinburgh, Edinburgh
It fell ance upon a day,
Stirling for aye
It fell ance upon a day
The clerk and lady went to play.
So proper Saint Johnston stands fair upon Tay
 
2 'If my baby be a son,
I'1l make him a lord of high renown.'
 
3 She's leand her back to the wa,
Prayd that her pains might fa.
 
4 She's leand her back to the thorn,
There was her baby born.
 
5 'O bonny baby, if ye suck sair,
You'll never suck by my side mair.'
 
6 She's riven the muslin frae her head,
Tied the baby hand and feet.
 
7 Out she took her little pen-knife,
Twind the young thing o its sweet life.
 
8 She's howked a hole anent the meen,
There laid her sweet baby in.
 
9 She had her to her father's ha,
She was the meekest maid amang them a'.
 
10 It fell ance upon a day,
She saw twa babies at their play.
 
11 'O bonny babies, gin ye were mine,
I'd cleathe you in the silks sae fine.'
 
12 'O wild mother, when we were thine,
You cleathd us not in silks so fine.
 
13 'But now we 're in the heavens high,
And you've the pains o hell to try.'
 
14 She threw hersell oer the castle-wa,
There I wat she got a fa.
 
 
 
Version G[ TOP ]
 
Notes and Queries, 1st 5., vita, 358. From Warwickshire communicated by C. Clifton Barry.
 
1 THERE was a lady lived on [a] lea,
All alone, alone O
Down by the greenwood side went she.
Down the greenwood side O
 
2 She set her foot all on a thorn,
There she had two babies born.
 
3 O she had nothing to lap them in,
But a white appurn, and that was thin.
 
 
 
Version H[ TOP ]
 
'The Cruel Mother'
 
Motherwell's MS., p. 402. From Agnes Laird, Kilbarthan, August 24, 1825.
 
1 THERE was a lady brisk and smart,
All in a lone and a lonie O
And she goes with child to her father's clark.
Down by the greenwood sidie O
 
2 Big, big oh she went away,
And then she set her foot to a tree.
 
3 Big she set her foot to a stone,
Till her three bonnie babes were borne.
 
4 She took the ribbons off her head,
She tied the little babes hand and feet.
 
5 She howkit a hole before the sun,
She's laid those three bonnie babes in.
 
6 She covered them over with marble stone,
For dukes and lords to walk upon.
 
7 She lookit over her father's castle wa,
She saw three bonnie boys playing at the ba.
 
8 The first o thorn was clad in red,
To shew the innocence of their blood.
 
9 The neist o them was clad in green,
To show that death they had boon in.
 
10 The next was naked to the skin,
To shew they were murderd when they were born.
 
11 'O bonnie babes, an ye were mine,
I wad dress you in the satins so fine.'
 
12 'O mother dear, when we were thine,
Thou did not use us half so kind.'
 
13 'O bonnie babes, an ye be mine,
Whare han ye been a' this time?'
 
14 'We were at our father's house,
Preparing a place for thee and us.'
 
15 'Whaten a place hae ye prepar'd for me?'
'Heaven 's for us, but hell 's for thee.
 
16 'O mother dear, but heaven's high;
That is the place thou'll ne'er come nigh.
 
17 'O mother dear, but hell is deep;
'Twill cause thee bitterlie to weep.'
 
 
 
Version I[ TOP ]
 
a, b. 'The Minister's Daughter of New York,'
c. 'Hey wi the rose and the lindie O'
 
a. Buchan's MS., II, 111. b. Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, it, 217. a. Christie, Traditional Ballad Airs 106.
 
1 THE minister's daughter of New York,
Hey wi the rose and the lindic, O
Has faen in love wi her father's clerk.
Alone by the green burn sidie, O
 
2 She courted him six years and a day,
At length her belly did her betray.
 
3 She did her down to the greenwood gang,
To spend awa a while o her time.
 
4 She lent her back unto a thorn,
And she's got her twa bonny boys born.
 
5 She's taen the ribbons frae her hair,
Bound their bodyes fast and sair.
 
6 She's put them aneath a marble stane.
Thinking a maiden to gae hame.
 
7 Looking oer her castle wa,
She spied her bonny boys at the ha.
 
8 'O bonny babies, if ye worn mine,
I woud feed you with the white bread and wine.
 
9 'I woud feed you wi the ferra cow's milk,
And dress you in the finest silk.'
 
10 'O cruel mother, when we were thine,
We saw none of your bread and wine.
 
11 'We saw none of your ferra cow's milk,
Nor worn we of your finest silk.'
 
12 'O bonny babies, can ye tell me,
What sort of death for you I must die?'
 
13 'Yes, cruel mother, we'll tell to thee,
What sort of death for us you must die.
 
14 'Seven years a fowl in the woods,
Seven years a fish in the floods.
 
15 'Seven years to be a church bell,
Seven years a porter in hell.'
 
16 'Welcome, welcome, fowl in the wood[s],
Welcome, welcome, fish in the flood[s].
 
17 'Welcome, welcome, to be a church bell,
But heavens keep me out of hell.'
 
 
 
Version J[ TOP ]
 
'The Rose o Malindie'
 
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 sidle 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-broad an wine.'
 
6 'O bonnie boys, gif ye waur mine,
I wald clied ye wi silk sae finn.'
 
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.
 
* * * * *
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!'
 
 
 
Version K[ TOP ]
 
Motherwell's MS., p. 186.
 
1 LADY MARGARET looked oer the castle wa,
Hey and a lo and a lilly O
And she saw twa bonnie babes playing at the ba.
Down by the green wood sidy O
 
2 'O pretty babes, an ye were mine,
I would dress you in the silks so fine.'
 
3 'O false mother, when we were thine,
Ye did not dress us in silks so finn.'
 
4 'O bonnie babes, an ye were mine,
I would feed you on the bread and wine.'
 
5 'O false mother, when we were thine,
Ye did not feed us on the bread and the wine.'
 
* * * * *
 
6 'Seven years a fish in the sea,
And seven years a bird in the tree.
 
7 'Seven years to ring a bell,
And seven years porter in hell.'
 
 
Version L[ TOP ]
 
'Fine Flowers in the Valley'
 
Smith's Scottish Minstrel, iv, 33, 2d ed
 
1 A LADY lookd out at a castle wa,
Fine flowers in the valley
She saw twa bonnie babes playing at the ha.
And the green leaves they grow rarely
 
2 'O my bonnie babes, an ye were mine,
I would cleed ye i the scarlet sae fine.
 
3 'I'd lay ye saft in beds o down,
And watch ye morning, night and noon.'
 
4 'O mithor dear, when we were thine,
Ye didna cleed us i the scarlet sae fine.
 
5 'But ye took out yere little pen-knife,
And parted us fran our sweet life.
 
6 'Ye howkit a hole aneath the moon,
And there ye laid our bodies down.
 
7 'Ye happit the hole wi mossy stanes,
And there ye left our wee bit banes.
 
8 'But ye ken weel, O mither dear,
Ye never cam that gate for fear.'
 
* * * *
 
9 'Seven lang years ye'll ring the bell,
And see sic sights as ye darna tell.'
 
 
Version M[ TOP ]
 
Communicated hy Miss Margaret Reburn, as learned in County Meath, Ireland, about 1860.
 
'O mother dear, when we were thine,
All a lee and aloney O
 
You neither dressed us in coarse or fine.'
Down by the greenwood sidy O
 


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