Babylon or The Bonnie Banks o Fordie
No: 14; variant: 14B
- THERE wond three ladies in a bower,
Annet and Margret and Marjorie
And they have gane out to pu a flower.
And the dew it lyes on the wood, gay ladie
- They had nae pu'd a flower but ane,
When up has started a banished man.
- He has taen the eldest by the hand,
He has turned her about and bade her stand.
- 'Now whether will ye be a banisht man's wife,
Or will ye be sticked wi my pen-knife?'
- 'I will na be ca'd a banished man's wife,
I'll rather be sticked wi your pen-knife.'
- And he has taen out his little pen-knife,
And frae this lady he has taen the life.
- He has taen the second by the hand,
He has turned her about and he bad her stand.
- 'Now whether will ye be a banisht man's wife,
Or will ye be sticked wi my pen-knife?'
- 'I will na be ca'd a banished man's wife;
I'll rather be sticked wi your pen-knife.'
- And he has taen out his little pen-knife,
And frae this lady he has taen the life.
- He has taen the youngest by the hand,
He has turned her about and he bad her stand.
- 'Now whether will ye be a banished man's wife,
Or will ye be sticked wi my pen-knife?'
- 'I winnae be called a banished man's wife,
Nor yet will I be sticked wi your pen-knife.
- 'But gin my three brethren had been here,
Ye had nae slain my sisters dear.'