Babylon or The Bonnie Banks o Fordie
No: 14; variant: 14[F]
- There were three sisters going from home,
All in a lea and alony, oh
They met a man, and he made them stand,
Down by the bonny banks of Airdrie, oh.
- He took the first one by the hand,
He turned her round, and he made her stand.
- Saying, Will you be a robber's wife?
Or will you die by my penknife?
- 'Oh, I wont be a robber's wife,
But I will die by your penknife.'
- Then he took the second by her hand,
He turned her round, and he made her stand.
- Saying, Will you be a robber's wife?
Or will you die by my penknife?
- 'Oh, I wont be a robber's wife,
But I will die by your penknife.'
- He took the third one by the hand,
He turned her round, and he made her stand.
- Saying, Will you be a robber's wife?
Or will you die by my penknife?
- 'Oh, I wont be a robber's wife,
And I wont die by you penknife.
- 'If my two brothers had been here,
You would not have killed my sisters two.'
- 'What was your two brothers' names?'
'One was John, and the other was James.'
- 'Oh, what did your two brothers do?'
'One was a minister, the other such as you.'
- 'Oh, what is this that I have done?
I have killed my sisters, all but one.
- 'And now I'll take out my penknife,
And here I'll end my own sweet life.'