The Cruel Brother
No: 11; variant: 11G
- THERE was three ladys in a ha,
Fine flowers i the valley
There came three lords amang them a',
Wi the red, green , and the yellow
- The first of them was clad in red:
'O lady fair, will you be my bride?'
- The second of them was clad in green:
'O lady fair, will you be my queen?'
- The third of them was clad in yellow:
'O lady fair, will you be my marrow?'
- 'You must ask my father dear,
Likewise the mother that did me bear.'
- 'You must ask my sister Ann,
And not forget my brother John.'
- 'I have askt thy father dear,
Likewise thy mother that did thee bear.
- 'I have askt thy sister Ann,
But I forgot thy brother John.'
- Her father led her through the ha,
Her mother dancd before them a'.
- Her sister Ann led her through the closs,
Her brother John put her on her horse.
- 'You are high and I am low;
Let me have a kiss before you go.'
- She was louting down to kiss him sweet,
Wi his penknife he wounded her deep.
- 'O lead me over into yon stile,
That I may stop and braeth a while.
- 'O lead me over to yon stair,
For there I'll ly and bleed ne mair.'
- 'O what will you leave your father dear?'
'That milk-white steed that brought me here.'
- 'O what will you leave your mother dear?'
'The silken gown that I did wear.'
- 'What will you leave your sister Ann?'
'My silken snood and golden fan.'
- 'What will you leave your brother John?'
'The highest gallows to hang him on.'
- 'What will you leave your brother John's wife?'
'Grief and sorrow to end her life.'
- 'What will ye leave your brother John's bairns?'
'The world wide for them to range.'