Here's a great haunting variant: I heard it it on the radio, later Ned Oldham sang me the Child #20 version which I think I prefer. as performed by Tim Eriksen on A Prairie Home Companion, October 29, 2005 - http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/programs/2005/10/29/ Two Babes In New York there was a lady fair All alone and a loney, Was then she had two pretty little babes All down by the greenwood sidey. She had an apron old and worn To wrap these two pretty babies in She had her knife both long and sharp She pierced them to their tender hearts She dug a grave both wide and deep She laid them down and she bade them sleep As she was turning home one night Was there she saw these two pretty babes Oh babes, oh babes, if you were mine I'd dress you in all silk so fine Oh, Mother dear, we once were thine And neither dressed us course nor fine You dug our grave both wide and deep You laid us down and you bade us sleep
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