Lord Ronald- William Ross (Aber) c.1910 Greig/Carpenter
[From James Madison Carpenter Collection, JMC/1/4/L, p. 07501. This was the version Grieg printed in his newspaper article c. 1910 (Folk Songs of the North East, p. 112).
R. Matteson 2018]
Lord Ronald- sung by William Ross of Old Schoolhouse, Balquhindochy, by Turriff, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Published about 1910. Collected by Carpenter about 1931.
1 "Where have you been Lord Ronald, my son?
Where have you been, my jolly young man?"
"I've been a- hunting, mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm weary, weary wandering, an' I fain would lie doon."
2 "And have you got supper, Lord Ronald, my son?
"And have you got supper, my jolly young man?"
"O yes, I've got supper; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm weary, weary wandering, an' I fain would lie doon."
3 "What got you for supper, Lord Ronald, my son?
What got you for supper, my jolly young man?"
"A dish of small fishes, mother make my bed soon,
For I'm weary, weary wandering, an' I fain would lie doon."
4 "What like were those fishes, Lord Ronald, my son?
What like were those fishes, my jolly young man?"
"Yellow backs an' sprackled bellies; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm weary, weary wandering, an' I fain would lie doon."
5 "I fear you are poisoned, Lord Ronald, my son,
I fear you are poisoned, my jolly young man,"
"O yes, I am poisoned; mother make my bed soon,
For I'm weary, weary wandering, an' I fain would lie doon."
6 "[What] will you leave to your brother, Lord Ronald my son
[What] will you leave to your brother, my jolly young man?'
"My gold watch an' gold chain, mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm weary, weary wandering, an' I fain would lie doon."
7 "[What] will ye leave to your sister, Lord Ronald, my son?
[What] will ye leave to your sister, my jolly young man?"
My purse and my silver, mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm weary, weary wandering, an' I fain would lie doon."
8. "[What] will ye leave to your mother, Lord Ronald, my son?
What will ye leave to your mother, my jolly young man?"
"My house and my rents mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm weary, weary wandering, an' I fain would lie doon."
9. "[What] will ye leave to your father, Lord Ronald, my son?
[What] will ye leave to your father, my jolly young man?"
"My horse an' my stable; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm weary, weary wandering, an' I fain would lie doon."
10 "[What] will ye leave to your sweetheart, Lord Ronald, my son?
[What] will ye leave to your sweetheart, my jolly young man?"
"Yon tow an' yon halter, that hangs on yon tree,
An' that's what she gets for the poisoning o' me."