The Cruel Mother (Child 20L)

A lady lookd out at a castle wa,
Fine flowers in the valley
She saw twa bonnie babes playing at the ba.
And the green leaves they grow rarely

'O my bonnie babes, an ye were mine,
I would cleed ye i the scarlet sae fine.

'I 'd lay ye saft in beds o down,
And watch ye morning, night and noon.'

'O mither dear, when we were thine,
Ye didna cleed us i the scarlet sae fine.

'But ye took out yere little pen-knife,
And parted us frae our sweet life.

'Ye howkit a hole aneath the moon,
And there ye laid our bodies down.

'Ye happit the hole wi mossy stanes,
And there ye left our wee bit banes.

'But ye ken weel, O mither dear,
Ye never cam that gate for fear.'

'Seven lang years ye'll ring the bell,
And see sic sights as ye darna tell.'