The Cruel Mother- Russell (Upwey) 1907
From: Conventional Ballads
by H. E. D. Hammond, Frank Kidson, Lucy E. Broadwood, A. G. Gilchrist, Cecil J.Sharp, J. A. Fuller-Maitland, Ralph Vaughan Williams
Journal of the Folk-Song Society, Vol. 3, No. 11 (1907), pp. 61-76Published
Notes: A major tune to this ballad was published in Vol. ii, No. 7, p. I09, of this Journal, q.v. Mrs. Russell could remember only two verses of the words.- H. E. D. H.
Versions of the ballad are also given by Motherwell, Buchan, and Kinloch, and there are Danish versions very near the Scotch, the story being known in Germany also. The version in Kinloch has the refrain:
"All alone and alonie
* * * *
Doun by the greenwud sae bonnie."
A tune for the ballad is given in Christie's Traditional Ballad Airs, under the title of " Hey wi' the rose and the lindie, O." The music for the second refrain resembles the corresponding part of Mr. Hammond's tunes. Christie prints a second part to the melody, but it appears to be only a variation, arranged by himself so as to combine two verses in a longer stanza.--A. G. G.
See Child's Ballads for full history of this ballad.-L. E. B.
Cf. The fragment noted by Burns, " Fine Flowers of the Valley," and its tune, in Jonnson's Scots Musical Museum, Vol. iv, 1792.-F. K.
Compare the tune of the second version with that of " Geordie," Journal, Vol. ii, p. 27 (first version).-C. J. S.
The Cruel Mother- Russell (Upwey) Feb. 1907
She pressed her - self a gainst the wall,
All a - lone and so lone ly,
And there she had two pret -ty babes born,
And 'tis down by the green -wood side oh!
Oh! Mother, Oh! Mother, if these were mine,
All alone and so lonely (or so lone 0!)
I would dress them in silks so fine!
And 'tis down by the greenwood side 0!'