Fine Flowers of the Valley- (Edinburgh) 1776 Herd; Child G
[From Ancient and Modern Scottish Songs, Heroic Ballads, Etc, Volume 2, edited by David Herd, 1776. Herd's title is not used exactly as the text appears, "Fine Flowers i' the valley." Child G was also reprinted in the 1815 book, A Collection of Ancient and Modern Scottish Ballads, Tales, and Songs by John Gilchrist- Page 205. Here are the notes from Gilchrist:
THE CRUEL BROTHER
This ballad is popular throughout Scotland. A gentleman falls in love with a young lady, and obtains her and her parents' consent to their union, but neglects to inform her brother of his intention, who considers the omission as an unpardonable insult; the marriage, however, is consummated with much splendour, at which the utmost harmony and conviviality prevail; the company begin to separate, the happy pair are also on the eve of setting off to their own house, the lady takes leave of all her relations, and is in the act of saluting her brother, when he draws out a knife and mortally wounds her. While our sorrow is excited for the fate of the young lady, and we are prepared to hear what punishment is inflicted on the perpetrator, our curiosity is disappointed by the childish questions and answers which conclude the poem.
R. Matteson 2014, 2018]
Fine Flowers of the Valley- Child 11 The Cruel Brother; Version G
a.Herd's Manuscripts, I, 41.
b.Herd's Scottish Songs, 1776, 88.
1 There was three ladys in a ha',
Fine flowers i' the valley
There came three lords amang them a',
Wi' the red, green, and the yellow
2 The first of them was clad in red:
Fine flowers i the valley
'O lady fair, will you be my bride?'
Wi the red, green, and the yellow
3 The second of them was clad in green:
Fine flowers i the valley
'O lady fair, will you be my queen?'
Wi the red, green, and the yellow
4 The third of them was clad in yellow:
Fine flowers i the valley
'O lady fair, will you be my marrow?'
Wi the red, green, and the yellow
5 'You must ask my father dear,
Fine flowers i the valley
Likewise the mother that did me bear.'
Wi the red, green, and the yellow
6 'You must ask my sister Ann,
Fine flowers i the valley
And not forget my brother John.'
Wi the red, green, and the yellow
7 'I have askt thy father dear,
Fine flowers i the valley
Likewise thy mother that did thee bear.
Wi the red, green, and the yellow
8 'I have askt thy sister Ann,
Fine flowers i the valley
But I forgot thy brother John.'
Wi the red, green, and the yellow
9 Her father led her through the ha,
Fine flowers i the valley
Her mother dancd before them a'.
Wi the red, green, and the yellow
10 Her sister Ann led her through the closs,
Fine flowers i the valley
Her brother John put her on her horse.
Wi the red, green, and the yellow
11 'You are high and I am low;
Fine flowers i the valley
Let me have a kiss before you go.'
Wi the red, green, and the yellow
12 She was louting down to kiss him sweet,
Fine flowers i the valley
Wi his penknife he wounded her deep.
Wi the red, green, and the yellow
* * * * *
13 'O lead me over into yon stile,
Fine flowers i the valley
That I may stop and braeth a while.
Wi the red, green, and the yellow
14 'O lead me over to yon stair,
Fine flowers i the valley
For there I'll ly and bleed ne mair.'
Wi the red, green, and the yellow
15 'O what will you leave your father dear?'
Fine flowers i the valley
'That milk-white steed that brought me here.'
Wi the red, green, and the yellow
16 'O what will you leave your mother dear?'
Fine flowers i the valley
'The silken gown that I did wear.'
Wi the red, green, and the yellow
17 'What will you leave your sister Ann?'
Fine flowers i the valley
'My silken snood and golden fan.'
Wi the red, green, and the yellow
18 'What will you leave your brother John?'
Fine flowers i the valley
'The highest gallows to hang him on.'
Wi the red, green, and the yellow
19 'What will you leave your brother John's wife?'
Fine flowers i the valley
'Grief and sorrow to end her life.'
Wi the red, green, and the yellow
20 'What will ye leave your brother John's bairns?'
Fine flowers i the valley
'The world wide for them to range.'
Wi the red, green, and the yellow