Deb learned The Bonny Hind (Child 50) from the singing of the late Tony Rose. It's a ballad that seems to have all the ingredients: siblings separated at birth, incest, suicide, riddles and an interesting metaphor towards the end.
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It's May she comes and May she goes
Down by the garden green
It's there she spied a brisk young squire
As fair was fair was seen
It's May she comes and May she goes
Down by the Holland tree,
And it's there she spied a brisk young squire
As fair was fair to see.
"Give to me your green mantle
Give me your maidenhead
If you won't give me your green mantle
Give me your maidenhead."
He's taken her by the milk-white hand
And gently laid her down
And when he's taken her up again
Given her a silver comb.
"Perhaps there may be bairns, kind sir,
Perhaps there may be not,
But if you be a courtier
Come tell to me your name."
"I am no courtier," said he
"But lately come from sea;
I am no courtier," said he,
"Until I courted thee."
"They call me Jack when I'm abroad
Sometimes they call me John
But when I'm in my father's bower
Jock Randall is my name."
"You lie, you lie, you bonny boy,
So loud I hear you lie.
For I am Lord Randall's only daughter,
He has no other but me."
"You lie, you lie, you bonny lass
So loud I hear you lie.
For I am Lord Randall's only son
Just lately come from sea."
And she's put her hand down by her side
And out she's taken a knife
She's thrust it in her own heart's blood
She's taken away her life
And he has taken his bonny sister
With a teardrop in his eye
And he's buried his bonny sister
Beneath the Holland tree.
And he's hied it over hills and dale
His father for to see
"Sing woe, sing woe for my bonny hind
Beneath the Holland tree."
"What care you for your bonny hind?
For it you need not care
There's ought score hinds in yonder wood
And plenty more to spare.
"Four of these are silver shod,
Of these you may take three."
"But sing woe, sing woe for my bonny hind
Beneath the Holland tree."
"What care you for your bonny hind?
For it you need not care
Take ye the best, leave me the worst
There's plenty more to spare.
"I care not for your hinds, father,
I care not for your fee.
But sing woe, sing woe for my bonny hind
Beneath the Holland tree."
"Oh were you at your sister's bower,
Your sister fair to see;
Then you'll think no more on your bonny hind
Beneath the Holland tree."
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