Folk and Traditional Song Lyrics:
Bonny Farday

Bonny Farday

Bonny Farday

1.  Three fine ladies lived in a bowry,
    Jewry flower and rosemary
    Three fine ladies lived in a bowry:
    They went forth in a field that was flowery:
    Jewry flower and rosemary.

(similarly:)
2.  They pull-ed flowers by two, by three
    A man come bent on robbery

3.  He asked one sister would she wife
    Or would she die by his wee knife

4.  She would not be a robber's wife
    He robb-ed her of her own sweet life

5.  He laid her by so tenderly
    To keep the flowers company

6.  He took the second by the hand
    He made her lightly step and stand

7.  He asked this sister would she wife
    Or would she die by his wee knife

8.  She would not wife, she would not bide
    So at that robber's hand she died

9.  He took the wee one by the hand
    She would not step, she would not stand

10. Says, "I'll not marry such as you
    Who killed my sisters one and two

11. Among my kin, my brother strong
    Will kill you for this very wrong."

12. "What name, what name, what name, I say?"
    "My brother's name is Bonny Farday!"

13. "O sister dear, what can I do
    But kill myself in rue of you.

14. Go dig my grave long, wide and deep
    And put my sisters at my feet."

CHILD #14
from John Jacob Niles, "Folk Balladeer", RCA Victor Vintage.
coll. in Newfoundland by Peacock (on his "Songs and Ballads of
     Newfoundland", Folkways), Karpeles and Greenleaf
     (Sandy Cove, 1929: claimed as the first North American
     sighting of the song).
JB