Richard Thompson - Bonnie St. Johnstone lyrics

(Trad. Arr. R. Thompson) Leaned her back against an oak Edinburgh, Edinburgh Leaned her back against an oak, Stirling for ay Leaned her back against an oak, first it bent and then it broke And Bonny St. Johnstone lies fair upon Tay Leaned her back against a thorn Two bonniest babes that e'er were born She took out her milk-white breast And bid them s**, though it was the last She took out her little knife And stabbed away their tender life Washed the knife all in a brook The more she washed, the redder it looked She looks over her father's wall And sees two babes a-playing at ball O babes, if you were mine I'd dress you in the silk so fine Mother, when we were thine Around our necks you pulled the twine Now we're in the heaven so high And in hell fires you shall die