Death & Dying
The Cruel Brother (Child 11K)
From The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, ed. F. J. Child (1882–98)
There were three ladies playing at ball,
Gilliver, Gentle, and Rosemary
There came three knights and looked over the wall.
Sing O the red rose and the white lilly
The first young knight, he was clothed in red,
And he said, 'Gentle lady, with me will you wed?'
The second young knight, he was clothed in blue,
And he said, 'To my love I shall ever be true.'
The third young knight, he was clothed in green,
And he said, 'Fairest maiden, will you be my queen?'
The lady thus spoke to the knight in red,
'With you, sir knight, I never can wed.'
The lady then spoke to the knight in blue,
And she said, 'Little faith I can have in you.'
The lady then spoke to the knight in green,
And she said, ''T is at court you must seek for a queen.'
The three young knights then rode away,
And the ladies they laughed, and went back to their play.
Singing, etc.
Cite this poem
MLA
Traditional Ballads (Child collection). “The Cruel Brother (Child 11K).” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/child-ballads/63/.
Chicago
Traditional Ballads (Child collection). “The Cruel Brother (Child 11K).” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/child-ballads/63/.
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