Bonny Farday
1. Three fine ladies lived in a bowry,
Jewry flower and rosemary
Three fine ladies lived in a bowry:
They went forth in a field that was flowery:
Jewry flower and rosemary.
(similarly:)
2. They pull-ed flowers by two, by three
A man come bent on robbery
3. He asked one sister would she wife
Or would she die by his wee knife
4. She would not be a robber's wife
He robb-ed her of her own sweet life
5. He laid her by so tenderly
To keep the flowers company
6. He took the second by the hand
He made her lightly step and stand
7. He asked this sister would she wife
Or would she die by his wee knife
8. She would not wife, she would not bide
So at that robber's hand she died
9. He took the wee one by the hand
She would not step, she would not stand
10. Says, "I'll not marry such as you
Who killed my sisters one and two
11. Among my kin, my brother strong
Will kill you for this very wrong."
12. "What name, what name, what name, I say?"
"My brother's name is Bonny Farday!"
13. "O sister dear, what can I do
But kill myself in rue of you.
14. Go dig my grave long, wide and deep
And put my sisters at my feet."
CHILD #14
from John Jacob Niles, "Folk Balladeer", RCA Victor Vintage.
coll. in Newfoundland by Peacock (on his "Songs and Ballads of
Newfoundland", Folkways), Karpeles and Greenleaf
(Sandy Cove, 1929: claimed as the first North American
sighting of the song).
JB
Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!