Two Brothers

There were twa brothers at the school
And when they'd won awa'
It's will ye play at the stane chucking
Or will ye play at ball
Or will ye gae up yon bonnie green hill
And there we'll wrestle a fa'

Oh, I winnae play at the stane chucking
Nor will I play at the ba'
But I will gae up yon bonnie green hill
And there we'll wrestle a fa'

They wrestled up, they wrestled down
Till John fell tae the ground
And a dirk fell oot o' William's pouch
Gi'ed John a deadly wound

"Oh, lift me, lift me on yer back
Tak' me tae yon well sea fair
And wash the blood fae off my wound
That it may bleed nae mair"

He's lifted him on tae his back
Ta'en him tae yon well sae fair
And he's washed the blood fae off his wound
But aye it bled the mair

"It's ye'll tak' off yer Holland sark
Rive it fae gare tae gare
An' stap it on my bloody wound
That it may bleed nae mair"

So he's ta'en off his Holland sark
Rived it fae gare tae gare
An' he's staped it in the bloody wound
But it bled mair and mair

"Oh, lift me, lift me on yer back
Tak' me tae Kirklan' fair
An' dig my grave baith wide and deep
And lay my body there

Ye'll lay my arrows at my head
My gude bow at my feet
My sword and buckler by my side
As I was wont tae sleep"

Child #49 --- see also Edward Ballad
looks like it would sing to ROLLSTON
recorded by Jean Redpath
SOF