Northh America - America (USA)

Three fine maids did play at ball,
ll-e-o-lay and a lullay gay,
Three fine maids did play at ball,
Came three lords and wooed them all,
ll-e-o-lay and a lullay gay.

The first young lord was dressed in yellow,
Il-e-o-lay and a lullay gay,
The first young lord was dressed in yellow,
'Come, fair maid, and be my marrow.'
ll-e-o-lay and a lullay gay.

The second lord was dressed in red,
ll-e-o-lay and a lullay gay,
The second lord was dressed in red,
The last of the lords was dressed in green,
'Come, fair maid, and be my queen.'
ll-e-o-lay and a lullay gay,

'You must ask my father dear,'
ll-e-o-lay and a lullay gay,
'You must ask my father dear,
Mother, too, who did me bear.'
ll-e-o-lay and a lullay gay,

'I have asked them one and all,'
ll-e-o-lay and a lullay gay,
'I have asked them one and all,
Save Sister Anne and Brother John.'
ll-e-o-lay and a lullay gay,

Father dear did lead her down,
ll-e-o-lay and a lullay gay,
Father dear did lead her down,
Mother, sister kissed her crown.
ll-e-o-lay and a lullay gay,

John did place her on her steed
ll-e-o-lay and a lullay gay,
John did place her on her steed
Ere he did the cruel deed.
ll-e-o-lay and a lullay gay,

'Kiss me, Sister, ere you part.'
ll-e-o-lay and a lullay gay,
'Kiss me, Sister, ere you part.'
As he kissed, he stabbed her heart.
ll-e-o-lay and a lullay gay,

'Would that I were on yonder stile,'
ll-e-o-lay and a lullay gay,
'Would that I were on yonder stile,
That I might rest and bleed a while.'
ll-e-o-lay and a lullay gay,

'Carry me to yon little green hill,'
ll-e-o-lay and a lullay gay,
'Carry me to yon little green hill,
That I might rest and make my will.'
ll-e-o-lay and a lullay gay,

'What will you give your father dear?'
ll-e-o-lay and a lullay gay,
'What will you give your father dear?'
'The milk-white steed that carried me here.'
ll-e-o-lay and a lullay gay,

'What will you give your mother own?'
ll-e-o-lay and a lullay gay,
'What will you give your mother own?'
'She may have my blood-stained gown.'
ll-e-o-lay and a lullay gay,

'What will you give your brother John?'
ll-e-o-lay and a lullay gay,
'What will you give your brother John?'
'A gallow's pin to hang him on!'
ll-e-o-lay and a lullay gay,

This ballad apears in Jamieson's Popular Ballads (1806). Jamieson notes that the ballad was popular at that time. It appears in a manuscript by Alexander Fraser Tyler where it is noted as taken down from a Mrs. Brown of Falkland in 1800. There are variants of the ballad in Ireland, Portugal, Germany, Denmark and Norway .

John Jacob Niles collected this tune in 1932 from Kingdom Come Valley, Harlan County, Kentucky. (Note: Niles is known to have retouched or written several of the ballads in his book. He is therefore not considered a reliable source. I have included them here out of interest.)

Variants and alternate titles include: The Bride's Testament, Ther waur three ladies, The Three Knights and Fine Flowers in the Valley.