Fine Flowers- Peggy MacGregor (Ayr) 1827 Crawfurd
[Abbreviated title. From Andrew Crawfurd's Collection of Ballads and Songs: Volume 1 by E. B. Lyle. Kilbirnie is a small town situated in the Garnock Valley area of North Ayrshire, on the west coast of Scotland.
R. Matteson 2018]
Fine Flowers in the Vale, O- sung by Peggy MacGregor of an old woman of Kilbirnie, N. Ayrshire about 1827. Collected by Sloan for Crawfurd.
1. There was a king had thrie dochters
Fine flowers in vale, O;
There came a courtier to thaim,
Wi the licht green and the yellow.
2. Ane one o them was drest in green
He askit at her she wad be his queen
3. Ane one o them was drest in red
He askit at her if she wad be his bride
4. Ane one o them was drest in yellow
He askit at her if she wad be his marrow
5. Ye maun ask my faither king
And sae maun ye my mither queen
6. Ye maun ask my sister Ann
And sae maun ye my brither John
7. Oh, I hae askit your father king
And sae hae I your mither queen
8. Oh, I hae askit your sister Ann
But I forgot your brither John
9. Her faither led her doun the stair
Her mither led her throu the haw
10. Her sister led her throu the closs
Her brither set her on the horse
11. She loutit doun to kiss his lips
And he stabbit her into her hert
12. Ryde up ryde up said the foremaist man
I think your bryde luiks wondrous wan
13. Ryde up ryde up said the hinmaist man
I think your bridle is wondrous bludie
14. As they rade up Embro corse
The bryde she drappit aff her horse
15. Oh, what will [ye] lieve to your faither king
The siller steed that I ryde on
16. Oh, what will ye lieve to your mither queen
The bluidie robes that I hae on
17. What will ye lieve to your sister Ann
My giltit bible & siller fan
18. What will ye lieve your brither John
The hiest gallows to hing him on
19. What will ye lieve your brither John's wife
Dule and trubil aw her life
20. What will you lieve your brither John's bairns
The meil pock to hing owr their arms