Lord Ronald- Bell Duncan (Aber) c.1931 Carpenter
[From James Madison Carpenter Collection, JMC/1/5/1/Q, p. 08574. Here's a short version missing the "will" stanzas ("What will ye leave") by Bell Duncan. The date of this may be much older, however, no information has been supplied.
R. Matteson 2018]
"Lord Ronald" sung by Miss Bell Duncan of Lambhill by Insch, Aberdeenshire, collected by Carpenter about 1931.
1 "O Where hae ye been Lord Ronald, my son?
"O Where hae ye been, my gallant young man?"
"I've been a-courtin, mither, mak my bed soon,
For I'm weary wi' wanderin', an' fain wid lie doon."
2 "What gat ye for supper, Lord Ronald, my son?
What gat ye for supper, my gallant young man?"
"A dish o black fish, mither, mak my bed soon,
For I'm weary wi' wanderin', an' fain wid lie doon."
3. "Faur gat ye the fishes, Lord Ronald, my son?
Faur got ye the fishes, my gallant young man?"
"In her father's mossy ditches[1]; mither, mak my bed soon,
For I'm weary wi' wanderin', an' fain wid lie doon."
4. "I fear ye are poisoned, Lord Ronald, my son,
I fear ye are poisoned, my gallant young man."
"O yes, I am poisoned; mither mak my bed soon,
For I'm weary wi' wanderin', an' fain wid lie doon."
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1. has "ditch" singular