Greenwoodside
(The Cruel Mother)
(The Cruel Mother)
This is a fine version of the ballad better known as ‘The Cruel Mother’.
She’s leaned her back against an oak
All alone and alone-y o,
She’s pushed and she’s pushed till her back’s near broke
Down in the bonnie Greenwoodsidie, o.
She’s leaned her head below a thorn
All alone and alone-y o,
The two bonniest babes that ever were born,
Down in the bonnie Greenwoodsidie, o.
Now she’s gane tae her faither’s castle haa
She was the smallest maiden of them aa.
She’s looked over her faither’s castle waa
She’s spied two bonnie babes playing with their baa.
Now babes o babes gin ye were mine
I’d dress you in the ribbons sae fine.
Now babes o babes gin ye were mine
I’d gie you breid and I’d gie you wine.
Now cruel mither when we were thine
You never proved tae us sae fine.
Now cruel mither when we were thine
Around our necks you pulled the twine
Oh babes, oh babes, now tell to me
The ill fate that’ll come tae me.
It’s seven years a bird in the wood
And seven years a fish in the flood.
And seven years ringin o the bell
And seven years to bide in hell
O welcome, welcome bird in the wood
Welcome, welcome the fish in the flood.
And welcome, welcome the ringin o the bell
But God keep me frae the fires o hell.
Other versions begin with verses that explain why the new mother is so ashamed she kills her twin babies.
There was a king’s daughter lived in the north
And she has courted her father’s clerk
She courted him a year and a day
Till her appearance did her betray
After killing the babies she goes home, but their ghosts come to reproach her and tell her how she will suffer for her crime.
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