"What will

ye leave to your brother John's wife?" With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay; "The wilderness to end her life," As the primrose spreads so sweetly.

This fair lady in her grave was laid,
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay;
And a mass was o'er her said,

As the primrose spreads so sweetly.

But it would have made your heart right sair,
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay;

To see the bridegroom rive his hair,
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.

105

110

THE CRUEL BROTHER.

FROM Herd's Scottish Songs, i. 149; and there styled Fine Flowers o' the Valley. This part of the refrain is found in one of the versions of the Cruel Mother, p. 269. To Herd's copy are annexed two fragmentary stanzas with nearly the same burden as that of the foregoing ballad. The second of these might have been used to supply a deficiency after v. 48.

She louted down to gie a kiss,
With a hey and a lily gay;
He stuck his penknife in her hass,

And the rose it smells so sweetly.

"Ride up, ride up," cry'd the foremost man,

With a hey and a lily gay;

"I think our bride looks pale and wan,"
And the rose it smells so sweetly.

THERE was three ladies in a ha',

Fine flowers the valley;

There came three lords amang them a',
Wi' the red, green, and the yellow.

The first of them was clad in red,
Fine flowers the valley;

“() lady fair, will ye be my bride?"
Wo the red, green, and the yellow.

The second of them was clad in green,

Fine flowers the valley;

"O lady fair, will ye be my queen?" W the red, green, and the yellow.

The third of them was clad in yellow,
Fine flowers the valley;

"O lady fair, will ye be my marrow?"

Wi' the red, green, and the yellow.

"You must ask my father dear,"

Fine flowers the valley;

"Likewise the mother that did me bear," Wo the red, green, and the yellow.

"You must ask my sister Ann,"
Fine flowers the valley;
"And not forget my brother John,"

Wi' the red, green, and the yellow.

"I have ask't thy father dear,"

Fine flowers the valley;

"Likewise the mother that did thee bear,"

W the red, green, and the yellow.

"I have ask't thy sister Ann,"
Fine flowers the valley;
"But I forgot thy brother John,”

W the red, green, and the yellow.

Her father led her through the ha',
Fine flowers the valley;
Her mother danc'd before them a',
Wi' the red, green, and the yellow.

Her sister Ann led her through the close,
Fine flowers the valley;

Her brother John put her on her horse,
W the red, green, and the yellow.

"You are high and I am low,"

Fine flowers the valley;

"Let me have a kiss before you go," Wi' the red, green, and the yellow.

She was louting down to kiss him sweet,
Fine flowers the valley;

45

Wi' his penknife he wounded her deep,

Wi' the red, green, and the yellow.

"O lead me over into yon stile ?"

Fine flowers the valley;

"That I may stop and breathe a while,"

Wi' the red, green, and the yellow.

"O lead me over into yon stair," Fine flowers the valley;

"For there I'll ly and bleed nae mair,"

66

Wi' the red, green, and the yellow.

"O what will

ye leave your father dear?"

Fine flowers the valley;

30

55

"That milk-white steed that brought me here,"

Wi' the red, green, and the yellow.

"O what will you leave your mother dear?” Fine flowers the valley;

"The silken gown that I did wear,"

Wi' the red, green, and the yellow.

“What will you leave your sister Ann?”

Fine flowers the valley;

"My silken snood and golden fan,"

Wi' the red, green, and the yellow.

"What will you leave your brother John?" Fine flowers the valley;

"The highest gallows to hang him on : Wo the red, green, and the yellow.

60

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70