There was a woman lived in the north
Hey wi' the rose and the lindsey O
She has coorted her faither's clerk
Doon by the Greenwood sidey O
She's coorted him for a year and a day
Hey wi' the rose and the lindsey O
'Til her great belly did her betray
Doon by the Greenwood sidey O
She's leaned her back against a tree
Hey wi' the rose and the lindsey O
Thinkin' that she micht lichter be
Doon by the Greenwood sidey O
She's leaned her back against a thorn
Hey wi' the rose and the lindsey O
Bonnie's the boys that she has borne
Doon by the Greenwood sidey O
But she's taen oot her wee penknife
Hey wi' the rose and the lindsey O
And she has taen the bairnies' lives
Doon by the Greenwood sidey O
She's buried them 'neath a marble stane
Hey wi' the rose and the lindsey O
Thinkin' tae gang a maiden hame
Doon by the Greenwood sidey O
She was lookin' ower her faither's castle wa'
Hey wi' the rose and the lindsey O
She's spied her bonnie boys playin' at the ba'
Doon by the Greenwood sidey O
"Oh bonnie bairns, gin ye were mine
Hey wi' the rose and the lindsey O
I'd dress ye up in silk sae fine"
Doon by the Greenwood sidey O
"Oh mither dear, fan we were thine
Hey wi' the rose and the lindsey O
We nivver saw ocht o' the silk sae fine"
Doon by the Greenwood sidey O
"Bonnie bairns, come tell tae me
Hey wi' the rose and the lindsey O
Fit kind o' death I'll hae tae dee"
Doon by the Greenwood sidey O
"Seven years a bird in the wood
Hey wi' the rose and the lindsey O
Seven years a fish in flood
Doon by the Greenwood sidey O
And seven years at the warnin' bell
Hey wi' the rose and the lindsey O
Seven years in the depths o' hell"
Doon by the Greenwood sidey O
Oh welcome, welcome bird in the wood
Hey wi' the rose and the lindsey O
Welcome, welcome fish in the flood
Doon by the Greenwood sidey O
And welcome, welcome tae the warnin' bell
Hey wi' the rose and the lindsey O
God keep me oot o' the depths o' hell
Doon by the Greenwood sidey O