Cruel Mother

She leaned herself against an oak All alone and aloney At first it bent and then it broke Down by the green wood side She leaned herself against a thorn All alone and aloney And there she had two fine babes born Down by the green wood side She pulled out her snow white breast All alone and aloney She bid them a-suck for it would be the last Down by the green wood side She pulled down her yellow hair All alone and aloney And she bound it around their little hands and feet Down by the green wood side She pulled out her little penknife All alone and aloney And she pierced all in their little tender hearts Down by the green wood side She was sitting in her father’s hall All alone and aloney She saw her babes a playing with their ball Down by the green wood side Oh babes O babes if you were mine All alone and aloney I would dress you in the silk so fine Down by the green wood side O mother O mother when we were thine All alone and aloney You neither dressed us in the course silk nor fine Down by the green wood side