Babylon; or, The Bonnie Banks o' Fordie- Motherwell 1827 Child A
[Below the standard Child text is the version taken directly from Motherwell with his notes. Motherwell gives two titles and this is the version Child uses to name the ballad. The name of the murderous brother is Baby Lon or Babylon.]
Babylon; or, The Bonnie Banks o Fordie- Version A: Child 14:
a. Motherwell's Minstrelsy, p. 88.
b. Motherwell's Minstrelsy, p. 88.
c. The same, Appendix, p. xxii, No xxvi, apparently from South Perthshire.
1. There were three ladies lived in a bower,
Eh vow bonnie
And they went out to pull a flower.
On the bonnie banks o Fordie
2. They hadna pu'ed a flower but ane,
Eh vow bonnie
When up started to them a banisht man.
On the bonnie banks o Fordie
3. He's taen the first sister by her hand,
Eh vow bonnie
And he's turned her round and made her stand.
On the bonnie banks o Fordie
4. 'It's whether will ye be a rank robber's wife,
Eh vow bonnie
Or will ye die by my wee pen-knife?'
On the bonnie banks o Fordie
5. 'It's I'll not be a rank robber's wife,
Eh vow bonnie
But I'll rather die by your wee pen-knife.'
On the bonnie banks o Fordie
6. He's killed this may, and he's laid her by,
Eh vow bonnie
For to bear the red rose company.
On the bonnie banks o Fordie
7 He's taken the second ane by the hand,
Eh vow bonnie
And he's turned her round and made her stand.
On the bonnie banks o Fordie
8 'It's whether will ye be a rank robber's wife,
Eh vow bonnie
Or will ye die by my wee pen-knife?'
On the bonnie banks o Fordie
9. 'I'll not be a rank robber's wife,
Eh vow bonnie
But I'll rather die by your wee pen-knife.'
On the bonnie banks o Fordie
10. He's killed this may, and he's laid her by,
Eh vow bonnie
For to bear the red rose company.
On the bonnie banks o Fordie
11. He's taken the youngest ane by the hand,
Eh vow bonnie
And he's turned her round and made her stand.
On the bonnie banks o Fordie
12 Says, 'Will ye be a rank robber's wife,
Eh vow bonnie
Or will ye die by my wee pen-knife?'
On the bonnie banks o Fordie
13 'I'll not be a rank robber's wife,
Eh vow bonnie
Nor will I die by your wee pen-knife.
On the bonnie banks o Fordie
14. 'For I hae a brother in this wood,
Eh vow bonnie
And gin ye kill me, it's he'll kill thee.'
On the bonnie banks o Fordie
15. 'What's thy brother's name? come tell to me.'
Eh vow bonnie
'My brother's name is Baby Lon.'
On the bonnie banks o Fordie
16. 'O sister, sister, what have I done!
Eh vow bonnie
O have I done this ill to thee!
On the bonnie banks o Fordie
17 'O since I've done this evil deed,
Eh vow bonnie
Good sall never be seen o me.'
On the bonnie banks o Fordie
18 He's taken out his wee pen-knife,
Eh vow bonnie
And he's twyned himsel o his ain sweet life.
On the bonnie banks o Fordie
_________________
BABYLON; [From Motherwell's Minstrelsy, p. 88.]
OR,
THE BONNIE BANKS O' FORDIE
Is given from two copies obtained from recitation, which differ but little from each other. Indeed the only variation is in the verse where the outlawed brother unweetingly slays his sister. One reading is—
He's taken out his wee penknife
Hey how bonnie;
And he's twined her o' her ain sweet life,
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie
The other reading is that adopted in the text. This ballad is popular in the southern parishes of Perthshire: but where the scene is laid, the editor has been unable to ascertain. Nor has any research of his enabled him to throw farther light on the history of its hero with the fantastic name, than what the ballad itself supplies.
There were three ladies lived in a bower,
Eh vow bonnie, And they went out to pull a flower, On the bonnie banks o' Fordie.
They hadna pu'ed a flower but ane,
Eh vow bonnie,
When up started to them a banisht man,
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie.
He's ta'en the first sister by her hand,
Eh vow bonnie,
And he's turned her round and made her stand
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie.
"Its whether will ye be a rank robber's wife,
Eh vow bonnie,
Or will ye die by my wee pen knife,
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie?"
"Its I'll not be a rank robber's wife,
Eh vow bonnie,
But I'll rather die by your wee pen knife,
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie."
He's killed this may and he's laid her by,
Eh vow bonnie,
For to bear the red rose company,
On the bonnie banks of Fordie.
He's taken the second ane by the hand,
Eh vow bonnie,
And he's turned her round and made her stand,
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie.
"Its whether will ye be a rank robber's wife,
Eh vow bonnie,
Or will ye die by my wee pen knife,
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie?"
"I'll not be a rank robber's wife,
Eh vow bonnie,
But I'll rather die by your wee penknife,
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie."
He's killed this may and he's laid her by,
Eh vow bonnie,
For to bear the red rose company,
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie.
He's taken the youngest ane by the hand,
Eh vow bonnie,
And he's turn'd her round and made her stand,
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie.
Says, "will ye be a rank robber's wife,
Eh vow bonnie,
Or will ye die by my wee penknife,
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie."
"I'll not be a rank robber's wife,
Eh vow bonnie,
Nor will I die by your wee penknife,
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie.
"For I hae a brother in this wood,
Eh vow bonnie,
And gin ye kill me, it's he'll kill thee,
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie."
"What's thy brother's name, come tell to me?
Eh vow bonnie."
"My brother's name is Baby Lon,
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie."
"O sister, sister, what have I done,
Eh vow bonnie,
O have I done this ill to thee,
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie?
"O since I've done this evil deed,
Eh vow bonnie,
Good sail never be seen o' me,
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie."
He's taken out his wee penknife,
Eh vow bonnie,
And he's twyned himsel o' his ain sweet life,
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie.