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letra de cruel was my father - debra cowan

i had learned a version of this called “in the month of january” that was collected by peter kennedy from sarah makem. to me, makem’s tune was always hauntingly beautiful, but the story never quite made sense. many years later i found another version of the song in the helen hartness flanders collection, sung by mrs. christine henry of providence, ri. we decided to put mrs. henry’s lyrics to mrs. makem’s tune to give this sad tale a setting that befits it
lyrics
‘twas on a frosty morning the snow lay on the ground
a fair maid was walking a few miles out of town
a few miles out of town against the winter’s frost and snow
she had a baby in her arms she had nowhere to go
o cruel was my mother she barred the door to me
and cruel was my father for i know he kept the key
cruel was that winter’s night that pierced my heart with cold
but crueler was the false young man who sold his love for gold
she came unto to a lonely grove and there she did kneel down
she prayed unto her saviour dear for mercy on her soul
she kissed her little baby’s lips and laid it by her side
she raised her eyes to heaven above
and then laid down and died
early the next morning this fair maid was found
her little baby’s fingers were frozen to the ground
when her mother heard of this, she wrung her hands and she cried
it was for her father’s cruelty that caused them both to die
so come all ye pretty fair maids a warning take by me
never try to build your nest at the top of any tree
for the leaves they will wither and the roots they will decay
and the beauty of a fair young maid it soon will fade away

- debra cowan

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