Cruel Mother

A minister's daughter in the North
Hey the rose and the lindsy-o
She fell in love with her father's clerk
Down by the greenwood sidey-o
He courted her for a year and a day
Hey the rose and the lindsy-o
Till her that young man did betray
Down by the greenwood sidey-o
She's leaned her back up against a thorn
Hey the rose and the lindsy-o
And there two bonny boys she has borne
Down by the greenwood sidey-o
She's taken out her little penknife
Hey the rose and the lindsy-o
And she has twined them up their lives
Down by the greenwood sidey-o
She's buried them 'neath some marble stones
Hey the rose and the lindsy-o
Thinking to go a-maiden home
Down by the greenwood sidey-o
There she's looked over her father's wall
Hey the rose and the lindsy-o
She saw her two bonny boys playing ball
Down by the greenwood sidey-o
Oh bonny boys if you were mine
Hey the rose and the lindsy-o
I'd dress you up in the silk so fine
Down by the greenwood sidey-o
But cruel mother when we were thine
Hey the rose and the lindsy-o
We didn't see aught of your silk so fine
Down by the greenwood sidey-o
Now bonny boys come tell to me
Hey the rose and the lindsy-o
What sort of death I will have to die
Down by the greenwood sidey-o
Seven years as a fish in the flood
Hey the rose and the lindsy-o
And seven years as a bird in the wood
Down by the greenwood sidey-o
Seven years a tongue in the warning bell
Hey the rose and the lindsy-o
And seven years in the flames of Hell
Down by the greenwood sidey-o
Welcome welcome fish in the flood
Hey the rose and the lindsy-o
And welcome welcome bird in the wood
Down by the greenwood sidey-o
Welcome tongue to the warning bell
Hey the rose and the lindsy-o
But God keep me from the flames of Hell
Down by the greenwood sidey-o