The Cruel Brother- (Don) William Allingham; 1865
[No source given, this constitutes an arrangement. From: The Ballad Book: a selection of the choicest British Ballads edited by William Allingham born 19 March 1824 of Ballyshannon, County Donegal, Ireland. Similar in part to Davies Gilbert version or Robert Bell's modification. His notes follow.
R. Matteson 2014, 2018]
Notes: XLviii. The Cruel Brother. — Herd : Jamieson "from recitation of Mrs. Arnott": Gilbert's Ancient Christmas Carols, &c. There are Danish, Swedish, and German ballads more or less like to this.
THE CRUEL BROTHER, given from an unknown source, William Allingham of Donegal, 1865
1. "O FAIREST lady ever seen,
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay,
Give consent to be my queen,"
Is the primrose spreads so sweetly.
2. "O you must ask my father dear,
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay,
And the mother, too, that did me bear,"
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
3. "And you must ask my sister Anne,
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay,
And not forget my brother John,"
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
4. "To anger him it were not good,
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay,
For he is of a heavy mood,"
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
5. Now he has asked her father dear,
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay,
And the mother, too, that did her bear,
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
6. And he has asked her sister Anne,
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay;
But he left out her brother John,
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
7 Her father handed her down the stair,
With a heigh -ho! and a lily gay;
Her mother kindly kissed her there,
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
8. Her sister Anne through the close her led,
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay;
Her brother John put her up on her steed,
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
9. "You are high, and I am low,
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay;
Let me have a kiss before you go,"
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
10. She was louting down to kiss him sweet,
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay;
Wi' his penknife he wounded her deep,
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
11. "Ride saftly on," said the best young man,
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay;
"I think our bride looks pale and wan,"
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
12. "O take me from my horse, I pray,
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay,
And let me breathe, if so I may,"
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
13 "O lean me on my true love's breast,
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay;
I want a little time to rest,"
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
14. "I wish I had an hour," she said,
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay,
"To make my will ere I am dead,"
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
15. "O what would ye leave to your father dear?"
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay.
"The milkwhite steed that brought me here,"
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
16. "What would ye give to your mother dear?"
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay.
"My wedding-shift which I do wear,"
As the primrose spreads so siveetly.
17. "But she must wash it very clean,
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay,
For my heart's blood sticks in every seam,"
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
18 "What would ye give to your sister Anne?"
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay.
"My gay gold ring and my feathered fan,"
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
19. "What would ye give to your brother John?"
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay.
"A rope and a gallows to hang him on!"
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
20. "What would ye give to your brother John's wife?"
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay.
"Grief and sorrow to end her life!"
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
21. "What would ye give to your own true lover?"
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay.
"My dying kiss, and my love for ever!"
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.