In Bruton Town there lived a noble,
He had two sons and a daughter fair.
By night and day they were contriving
To fill their sister's heart with care.
One night, one night of restless slumber,
One brother rose up from his bed.
He heard the servant court their sister,
He heard they had a mind to wed.
He early rose the very next morning,
A-hunting through the woods to go.
And there he did this young man a-murder
In the bramble briar his body threw.
“Oh, brothers, brothers, why do you whisper,
And what's become of the serving man?”
“We lost him where we been a-hunting,
We lost him where he'll ne'er be found.”
She went to bed a-crying and lamenting
And weeping for her own true love.
And as she slept she dreamed that she saw him
All covered all over with gore and blood.
She early rose the very next morning,
She searched the woods and the country round,
And there she found her own dear jewel,
In the bramble briar where his body they'd thrown.
Three days and nights she did stay by him,
She kissed his eyes that could not see.
And to keep him from the heat of the sunshine,
She covered him with green leaves from off the tree.
Three days and nights she did stay by him,
She thought her heart would break with woe,
Till a cruel hunger came upon her
And in despair to her home she did go.
“Oh, sister, sister, why do you whisper,
And won't you tell us where you've been.”
“Stand off, stand off, you bloody butchers,
My love and I you have both slain.”
He had two sons and a daughter fair.
By night and day they were contriving
To fill their sister's heart with care.
One night, one night of restless slumber,
One brother rose up from his bed.
He heard the servant court their sister,
He heard they had a mind to wed.
He early rose the very next morning,
A-hunting through the woods to go.
And there he did this young man a-murder
In the bramble briar his body threw.
“Oh, brothers, brothers, why do you whisper,
And what's become of the serving man?”
“We lost him where we been a-hunting,
We lost him where he'll ne'er be found.”
She went to bed a-crying and lamenting
And weeping for her own true love.
And as she slept she dreamed that she saw him
All covered all over with gore and blood.
She early rose the very next morning,
She searched the woods and the country round,
And there she found her own dear jewel,
In the bramble briar where his body they'd thrown.
Three days and nights she did stay by him,
She kissed his eyes that could not see.
And to keep him from the heat of the sunshine,
She covered him with green leaves from off the tree.
Three days and nights she did stay by him,
She thought her heart would break with woe,
Till a cruel hunger came upon her
And in despair to her home she did go.
“Oh, sister, sister, why do you whisper,
And won't you tell us where you've been.”
“Stand off, stand off, you bloody butchers,
My love and I you have both slain.”
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