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