Cruel Mother

There was a lady in New York

All alone and lonely

She fell in love with her father's clerk

Down by the greenwood side

As she was walking over the bridge

All alone and lonely

She felt herself a-growing big

Down by the greenwood side

Down by the greenwood side

She leaned herself against an oak

All alone and lonely

First it bent and then it broke

Down by the greenwood side

She leaned herself against a thorn

All alone and lonely

There she had two little babies born

Down by the greenwood side

Down by the greenwood side

She carried a pen-knife both keen and sharp

All alone and lonely

She pierced those two little babies to the heart

Down by the greenwood side

She buried them under a bunch of rue

All alone and lonely

She prayed to the Lord that they would never come to

Down by the greenwood side

Down by the greenwood side

Down by the greenwood side

As she was walking over the bridge

All alone and lonely

She saw her two little babies at play

Down by the greenwood side

Babes, oh, babes, if you were mine

All alone and lonely

I'd dress you up in silk so fine

Down by the greenwood side

Down by the greenwood side

Mother, oh, mother, when we were thine

All alone and lonely

You neither dressed us coarse nor fine

Down by the greenwood side

Mother, oh, mother, for our sakes

All alone and lonely

You'll always carry the key to Hell's gate

Down by the greenwood