Lord Ronald- Hector Campbell (Aber) c1931 Carpenter
[From: James Madison Carpenter Collection, JMC/1/4/L, p. 07505. The following version has the bloodhound stanza, rare among Carpenter versions.
R. Matteson 2018]
Lord Ronald- sung by Hector Campbell of Ythanwells, Aberdeenshire, Scotland about 1931.
1 "O have you been hunting, Lord Ronald, my son?
O have you been hunting, my handsome young man?"
"O yes I've been hunting, mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm weary, weary wanderin', and I fain wid lie doon."
2 "O who were you with, Lord Ronald, my son?
O who were you with, my handsome young man?"
"I've been with my sweetheart, mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm weary wi' huntin', and fain wid lie doon."
3 "What had ye for your dinner, Lord Ronald, my son?
What had ye for your dinner, my handsome young man?"
"I had for my dinner, fried eels in a pan,
For I'm weary wi' huntin', and fain wid lie doon."
4 "What became of your bloodhounds, Lord Ronald, my son?
What became of your bloodhounds, my handsome young man?"
"They swelled up and they died, mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm weary wi' the huntin', and fain wid lie doon."
5 "I afraid you've been poisoned, Lord Ronald, my son,
I afraid you've been poisoned, my handsome young man,"
"O yes, I've been poisoned; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm weary wi the huntin', and fain wid lie doon."
6 "What leave you to your mother, Lord Ronald my son
What leave you to your mother, my handsome young man?'
"I leave to my mother, my houses and land,
But I'm weary wi' the huntin', and fain wid lie doon."
7. "What leave ye to your sweetheart, Lord Ronald, my son?
What leave ye to your sweetheart, my handsome young man?"
"She'll get arsenic and water, the thing she gie me,
And if that dis nae sair her, she can hang on a tree."