The Cruel Mother
2: The Cruel Mother

Versions from the Singing Tradition
1: The Cruel Mother
As sung by Jock Duncan, Pitlochry, Perthshire
2: The Cruel Mother
As sung by Lemmy Brazil, Gloucester
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As sung by Lemmy Brazil of Gloucester. Recorded by Peter Shepheard in her caravan at Over's Bridge, Gloucester on 29 September 1967. [Spr 67.6.28]

[There was a lady lived in York, aye O,
There was a lady lived in York;
She fell in love with her father's clerk.
Lay me down my derry down,
Down by the greenwood side O]

She leaned her back agin the oak, aye O,
She leaned her back agin the oak;
First it bent and then it broke.
Lay me down my derry down,
Down by the greenwood side O

She leaned her back agin the stile, aye O,
She leaned her back agin the stile;
Then she thought it was my child.
Lay me down my derry down,
Down by the greenwood side O.

She took a penknife long and sharp, aye O,
She took a penknife long and sharp;
She pierced the two pretty babes to the heart.
Lay me down my derry down,
Down by the greenwood side O.

She throwed the babes a long ways off, aye O,
She throwed the babes a long ways off;
The more she throwed them the blood dripped off.
Lay me down my derry down,
Down by the greenwood side O.

As she was a-walking her fathers wall, aye O,
As she was a-walking her father's wall,
She saw two pretty babes a-playing at ball.
Lay me down my derry down,
Down by the greenwood side O.

She said, 'Pretty babes if you was mine, aye O,'
She said, 'Pretty babes if you was mine,
I'd dress you up in silks satins fine.'
Lay me down my derry down,
Down by the greenwood side O.

They said, 'Dear mother when we were yours, aye O,
You took a penknife long and sharp;
You pierced us two pretty babes to the heart.'
Lay me down my derry down,
Down by the greenwood side O.

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