Cruel Mother It fell ance upon a day, Edinburgh, Edinburgh It fell ance upon a dag, Stirling for aye It fell ance upon a day The clerk and lady went to play. So proper Saint Johnston stands fair upon Tay 'If my baby be a son, I'll make him a lord of high renown.' She's leand her baclc to the raa, Prayd that her pains might fa. She's leand her back to the thorn, There was her baby born. 'O bonng baby, if ye suck sair, You'll never suck by my side mair.' She's riven the muslin frae her head, Tied the baby hand and feet. Out she took her little pen knife Twind the young thing o its sweet life She's howked a hole anent the mean There she laid her sweet baby in She had her to her father's ha She was the meekest maid amang them a' It fell ance upon a day She saw twa babies at their play 'Oh bonnie babies, gin ye were mine I'd cleathe ye in the silks sae fine' 'Oh wild mother, when we were thine You claethed us not in silks so fine 'But now we're in the heavens high And you've the pains o hell to try' She threw hersell oer the castle wall There I wot she got a fa Child #20 from Child, from Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland SOF
Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!