Twa Brothers

Well it's of twa brothers a-going to school,

All in the evening coming home,

Said the biggest boy to the littlest boy,

“Oh, can you throw a stone?”

“Well, I can either throw a stone

And a little can I play at the ball,

But if you come down to yon green wood

I will try you a wrestling fall, I will try you a wrestling fall.”

So they're away to the merry greenwood

For to try a wrestling fall,

But big brother John's drawed his little penknife

And he’s stabbed William to the ground

“Oh, you'll pull off my white linen shirt

And tear it from gore to gore,

And wrap it all around my wound

That the blood may flow no more, the blood may flow no more

So he's pulled off his white linen shirt

And he tore it from gore to gore,

And wrapped it round his brother's wound

But the blood came ten times more

“Take me up, take me up all in your arms

And carry me to yonder church ground,

And dig a grave both wide and deep

And gently lay me down.”

“And what will our dear father think

Tonight when I come home?”

“Just tell him I'm away to the Borders’ school,

And a good boy I'll return.”

“And what shall I tell my mother dear

This night when I go home?”

“Just tell her I'm running in yonder green wood,

A-bringing my schoolbooks home.”

Well it's of twa brothers a-going to school,

All in the evening coming home,

Said the biggest boy to the littlest boy,

“Oh, can you throw a stone?”