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Sheath And Knife (Child 16)

from Blood & Roses Volume 5 by Ewan MacColl & Peggy Seeger

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about

Of the four texts given by Child, only the one taken from Motherwell's manuscript can be said to be more than a fragment of this magnificent ballad. A more complete form of the story did not appear until 1960 when Helen Meanie Shire published a 26-stanza version from the Dalhousie Manuscript. This collation is based almost entirely on the Shire text.

lyrics

There was a sister and her brither,
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
Wha maist entirely loved each other.
God, gif we had never been sib.

Sister, we'll gang tae the broom
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
O sister, I would lay thee doon,
God, gif we had never been sib.

Brither, alas, would ye dae sae?
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
I sooner would my deith gang tae.
God, gif we had never been sib.

A' the folk they talk through ither
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
That the lass is wi' bairn to her brither.
God, gif we had never been sib.

O, brither ye hae done me ill,
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
And we will baith burn on yon hill.
God, gif we had never been sib.

Ye'll gang tae my faither's stable,
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
And tak' twa horses stout and able.
God, gif we had never been sib.

She's up on the white horse, he's on the black,
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
Wi' his yew-tree bow slung fast tae his back.
God, gif we had never been sib.

They hadnae rode a mile but ane
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
E'er her pains they did come on.
God, gif we had never been sib.

I would gie a' my faither's land
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
For a good midwife at my command,
God, gif we had never been sib.

Ye'll gang tae yon high high hill,
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
And tak' your how and arrows wi' ye,
God, gif we had never been sib.

When ye hear my loud, loud cry.
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
Then bend your bow and let me die.
God, gif we had never been sib.

He's gane tae yon hill sae high,
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
He bent his bow and let her die,
God, gif we had never been sib.

When he cam' tae her beside;
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
The babe was born, the lady deid.
God, gif we had never been sib.

Then he has ta'en his young, young son,
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
And borne him tae a milk-woman.
God, gif we had never been sib.

He's gien himsel' a wound fu' sair,
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
Well never gang to the broom nae mair.
God, gif we had never been sib.

O mither, I hae tint my knife;
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
I lo'ed it better than my life,
God, gif we had never been sib.

But I hae tint a better thing,
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
The bonnie sheath my knife was in.
God, gif we had never been sib.

Is there no' a cutler intae Fife
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
That could mak' to thee a better knife?
God, gif we had never been sib.

There's no' a cutler in a' the land,
The sun gaes tae oot owre the wood
That could mak' sic a knife tae my command.
God, gif we had never been sib.

credits

from Blood & Roses Volume 5, released September 14, 1986
Ewan MacColl - vocals

Produced by Calum MacColl
Engineered by Nigel Cazaly

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Ewan MacColl London, UK

This site is maintained by the MacColl family, aiming to make Ewan's catalogue available to download.
Ewan MacColl is known to most as a songwriter and singer, but he was also of significant influence in the worlds of theatre and radio broadcasting. His art reached huge numbers through the folk clubs, greater numbers through his recordings and untold millions through the radio. ... more

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