English and Scottish Ballads Volume II Part 34

"O hold your tongue, my pretty parrot, 65 Lay not the blame upon me; Your cage will be made of the beaten gold, And the spakes of ivorie."

Up then spake the king himself, In the chamber where he lay: 70 "O what ails the pretty parrot, That prattles so long ere day?"

"It was a cat cam to my cage door; I thought 't would have worried me; And I was calling on fair May Colvin 75 To take the cat from me."

BABYLON,

OR,

THE BONNIE BANKS O' FORDIE.

"This ballad is given from two copies obtained from recitation, which differ but little from each other. Indeed, the only variation is in the verse where the outlawed brother unweetingly slays his sister. One reading is,--

'He's taken out his wee penknife, _Hey how bonnie_; And he's twined her o' her ain sweet life, _On the bonnie banks o' Fordie_.'

The other reading is that adopted in the text. This ballad is popular in the southern parishes of Perths.h.i.+re: but where the scene is laid the editor has been unable to ascertain. Nor has any research of his enabled him to throw farther light on the history of its hero with the fantastic name, than what the ballad itself supplies." Motherwell's _Minstrelsy_, p. 88.

Another version is subjoined, from Kinloch's collection.

This ballad is found in Danish; _Herr Truels's Doettre_, _Danske Viser_, No. 164. In a note the editor endeavors to show that the story is based on fact!

There were three ladies lived in a bower, _Eh vow bonnie_, And they went out to pull a flower, _On the bonnie banks o' Fordie_.

They hadna pu'ed a flower but ane, 5 _Eh vow bonnie_, When up started to them a banisht man, _On the bonnie banks o' Fordie_.

He's ta'en the first sister by her hand, _Eh vow bonnie_, 10 And he's turned her round and made her stand, _On the bonnie banks o' Fordie_.

"It's whether will ye be a rank robber's wife, _Eh vow bonnie_, Or will ye die by my wee penknife," 15 _On the bonnie banks o' Fordie_?

"It's I'll not be a rank robber's wife, _Eh vow bonnie_, But I'll rather die by your wee penknife,"

_On the bonnie banks o' Fordie_. 20

He's killed this may and he's laid her by, _Eh vow bonnie_, For to bear the red rose company, _On the bonnie banks o' Fordie_.

He's taken the second ane by the hand, 25 _Eh vow bonnie_, And he's turned her round and made her stand, _On the bonnie banks o' Fordie_.

"It's whether will ye be a rank robber's wife, _Eh vow bonnie_, 30 Or will ye die by my wee penknife,"

_On the bonnie banks o' Fordie_?

"I'll not be a rank robber's wife, _Eh vow bonnie_, But I'll rather die by your wee penknife," 35 _On the bonnie banks o' Fordie_.

He's killed this may and he's laid her by, _Eh vow bonnie_, For to bear the red rose company, _On the bonnie banks o' Fordie_. 40

He's taken the youngest ane by the hand, _Eh vow bonnie_, And he's turned her round and made her stand, _On the bonnie banks o' Fordie_.

Says, "Will ye be a rank robber's wife, 45 _Eh vow bonnie_, Or will ye die by my wee penknife,"

_On the bonnie banks o' Fordie_?

"I'll not be a rank robber's wife, _Eh vow bonnie_, 50 Nor will I die by your wee penknife, _On the bonnie banks o' Fordie_.

"For I hae a brother in this wood, _Eh vow bonnie_, And gin ye kill me, it's he'll kill thee," 55 _On the bonnie banks o' Fordie_.

"What's thy brother's name? come tell to me,"

_Eh vow bonnie_; "My brother's name is Babylon,"

_On the bonnie banks o' Fordie_. 60

"O sister, sister, what have I done, _Eh vow bonnie_?

O have I done this ill to thee, _On the bonnie banks o' Fordie_?

"O since I've done this evil deed, 65 _Eh vow bonnie_, Good sall never be seen o' me,"

_On the bonnie banks o' Fordie_.

He's taken out his wee penknife, _Eh vow bonnie_, 70 And he's twyned himsel o' his ain sweet life, _On the bonnie banks o' Fordie_.

DUKE OF PERTH'S THREE DAUGHTERS.

From Kinloch's _Ancient Scottish Ballads_, p. 212.

The Duke o' Perth had three daughters, Elizabeth, Margaret, and fair Marie; And Elizabeth's to the greenwud gane, To pu' the rose and the fair lilie.

But she hadna pu'd a rose, a rose, 5 A double rose, but barely three, Whan up and started a Loudon lord, Wi' Loudon hose, and Loudon sheen.

"Will ye be called a robber's wife?

Or will ye be stickit wi' my b.l.o.o.d.y knife? 10 For pu'in the rose and the fair lilie, For pu'in them sae fair and free."

"Before I'll be called a robber's wife, I'll rather be stickit wi' your b.l.o.o.d.y knife, For pu'in the rose and the fair lilie, 15 For pu'in them sae fair and free."

Then out he's tane his little penknife, And he's parted her and her sweet life, And thrown her o'er a bank o' brume, There never more for to be found. 20

The Duke o' Perth had three daughters, Elizabeth, Margaret, and fair Marie; And Margaret's to the greenwud gane, To pu' the rose and the fair lilie.

She hadna pu'd a rose, a rose, 25 A double rose, but barely three, When up and started a Loudon lord, Wi' Loudon hose, and Loudon sheen.

"Will ye be called a robber's wife?

Or will ye be stickit wi' my b.l.o.o.d.y knife? 30 For pu'in the rose and the fair lilie, For pu'in them sae fair and free."

"Before I'll be called a robber's wife, I'll rather be sticket wi' your b.l.o.o.d.y knife, For pu'in the rose and the fair lilie, 35 For pu'in them sae fair and free."

Then out he's tane his little penknife, And he's parted her and her sweet life, For pu'in the rose and the fair lilie, For pu'in them sae fair and free. 40