Bonny Banks of the Virgie O- May, Mildred and Victoria White; Sandy Cove, Newfoundland; 1929
[From Ballads and Sea-Songs of Newfoundland by Elizabeth Bristol Greenleaf, Grace Yarrow Mansfield - 1933. Karpeles versions and this one from Greenleaf are dated 1929, not sure which version was collected first (see notes following). However, this version is missing important parts of the story.
R. Matteson 2012, 2014]
Here is the first record of Child. No. 14. on this side of the Atlantic. There is an ellipsis whereby the first twelve stanzas are condensed to four, but the complete story is indicated. Two brothers are mentioned instead of one. It would be most interesting to compare the Scottish air with the one from Newfoundland. The girls, who were real English beauties, sang it in unison, keeping strict rhythm. We suspected that anyone of them was loo shy to sing it alone. Cf. Keith, No. 6.
Bonny Banks of the Virgie O- May, Mildred and Victoria White; Sandy Cove, Newfoundland; 1929 w/music
1. Three young ladies went out for a walk,
Too ra lee and a lonely O;
They met a robber on their way,
On the bonny, bonny banks of Virgie-O.
2. He took the first one by the hand,
And whipped her around until he made her stand.
3. He took the second one by the hand,
I'd rather die by my penknife.”
4. He took the third one by the hand:
"I'd rather my brothers 're here tonight."
5. "What are your brothers, I pray you tell?"
"For one is a robber like yoursel'."
6. "What did the other I pray you tell?"
"The other is a minister," said she.
7. “The Lord have mercy on what I've done,
I have murdered my three sisters all but one.”
8. Then he took his penknife in his hand,
And 'twas there he took his own sweet life.