Lyrics

The Bonny Banks of the Virgie, O - Traditional

Three young ladies went for a walk
Too ra lee and a lonely o
And they met a robber on their way
On the bonny, bonny banks of the Virgie o

He took the first one by the hand
And he whipped her around and he made her stand
Will you be a robber's wife
Or will you die by my pen knife
I will not be a robber's wife
I would rather die by your pen knife
He took out his little pen knife
And it’s then he took her own sweet life

He took the second one by the hand
And he whipped her around and he made her stand
Will you be a robber's wife
Or will you die by my pen knife
I will not be a robber's wife
I would rather die by your pen knife
He took out his little pen knife
And it’s then he took her own sweet life

He took the third one by the hand
And he whipped her around and he made her stand
Will you be a robber's wife
Or will you die by my pen knife
I will not be a robber's wife
Nor will I die by your pen knife
If my brothers had been here
You would not have killed my sisters dear

What are your brothers I pray you tell
Well one is a robber like yourself
What is the other, I pray you tell
Well the other is a minister
Lord have mercy what I have done
I have killed my sisters all but one
He took out his little pen knife
And it’s then he took his own sweet life