The Cruel Brother Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A B C D E FGHB II JJ BB KK L C M NI OP QR SS BB II TU FV WX YY Z A2 B2L II

The Text is that obtained in by Alexander Fraser Tytler from Mrs Brown of Falkland and by him committed to writing The first ten and the last two stanzas show corruption but the rest of the ballad is in the best styleA
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The Story emphasises the necessity of asking the consent of a brother to the marriage of his sister and therefore the title The Cruel Brother is a misnomer In ballad times the brother would have been well within his rights it was rather a fatal oversight of the bridegroom that caused the tragedyB
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Danish and German ballads echo the story though in the commonest German ballad Graf Friedrich the bride receives an accidental wound and that from the bridegroom's own handC
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The testament of the bride by which she benefits her friends and leaves curses on her enemies is very characteristic of the ballad style and is found in other ballads as Lord Ronald and Edward Edward In the present case 'sister Grace' obtains what would seem to be a very doubtful benefitD
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THE CRUEL BROTHERE
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There was three ladies play'd at the ba'F
With a hey ho and a lillie gayG
There came a knight and played o'er them a'H
As the primrose spreads so sweetlyB
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The eldest was baith tall and fairI
But the youngest was beyond compareI
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The midmost had a graceful mienJ
But the youngest look'd like beautie's queenJ
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The knight bow'd low to a' the threeB
But to the youngest he bent his kneeB
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The ladie turned her head asideK
The knight he woo'd her to be his brideK
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The ladie blush'd a rosy redL
And say'd 'Sir knight I'm too young to wed '-
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'O ladie fair give me your handC
And I'll make you ladie of a' my land '-
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'Sir knight ere ye my favour winM
You maun get consent frae a' my kin '-
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He's got consent frae her parents dearN
And likewise frae her sisters fairI
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He's got consent frae her kin each oneO
But forgot to spiek to her brother JohnP
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Now when the wedding day was comeQ
The knight would take his bonny bride homeR
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And many a lord and many a knightS
Came to behold that ladie brightS
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And there was nae man that did her seeB
But wish'd himself bridegroom to beB
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Her father dear led her down the stairI
And her sisters twain they kiss'd her thereI
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Her mother dear led her thro' the clossT
And her brother John set her on her horseU
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She lean'd her o'er the saddle bowF
To give him a kiss ere she did goV
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He has ta'en a knife baith lang and sharpW
And stabb'd that bonny bride to the heartX
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She hadno ridden half thro' the townY
Until her heart's blude stain'd her gownY
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'Ride softly on ' says the best young manZ
'For I think our bonny bride looks pale and wan '-
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'O lead me gently up yon hillA2
And I'll there sit down and make my will '-
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'O what will you leave to your father dear '-
'The silver shod steed that brought me here '-
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'What will you leave to your mother dear '-
'My velvet pall and my silken gear '-
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'What will you leave to your sister Anne '-
'My silken scarf and my gowden fan '-
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'What will you leave to your sister Grace '-
'My bloody cloaths to wash and dress '-
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'What will you leave to your brother John '-
'The gallows tree to hang him on '-
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'What will you leave to your brother John's wife '-
'The wilderness to end her life '-
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This ladie fair in her grave was laidB2
And many a mass was o'er her saidL
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But it would have made your heart right sairI
To see the bridegroom rive his hairI

Frank Sidgwick



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