Cruel Mother Songtext
von Judy Collins

There was a lady, lived in the North
Oh, the rose and the linsie-o
She fell in love with her father′s clerk
Down by the greenwood sidie-o

He courted her for a year and a day
Oh, the rose and the linsie-o
Till her the young man did betray
Down by the greenwood sidie-o

She leaned her back up against a thorn
Oh, the rose and the linsie-o
Then she had two pretty babes born
Down by the greenwood sidie-o

She took her penknife, keen and sharp
Oh, the rose and the linsie-o
She has stucked it to their hearts
Down by the greenwood sidie-o


As she was walking her father's hall
Oh, the rose and the linsie-o
She saw two babes a-playing ball
Down by the greenwood sidie-o

She said, "Oh, babes, it′s you can tell"
Oh, the rose and the linsie-o
"What kind of death I have to die"
Down by the greenwood sidie-o

"Seven years a fish in the flood"
Oh, the rose and the linsie-o
"Seven years a bird in the wood"
Down by the greenwood sidie-o

"Seven years a tongue in the warning bell"
Oh, the rose and the linsie-o
"Seven years in the flames of hell"
Down by the greenwood sidie-o

"Oh, welcome, welcome, fish in the flood"
Oh, the rose and the linsie-o
"Welcome, welcome, bird in the wood"
Down by the greenwood sidie-o


"Welcome, welcome, tongue in the warning bell"
Oh, the rose and the linsie-o
"God, keep me from the flames in hell"
Down by the greenwood sidie-o