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And brings them straight unto his house,

Where much of them he makes.
He had not kept these pretty babes
A twelvemonth and a day,
But for their wealth he did devise
To make them both away.

He bargained with two ruffians strong,
Which were of furious mood,
That they should take these children
And slay them in a wood. [young,
He told his wife an artful tale,

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He would the children send

To be brought up in fair London, With one that was his friend." Away then went those pretty babes, Rejoicing at that ride,

Rejoicing with a merry mind,

They should on cockhorse ride. They prate and prattle pleasantly, As they rode on the way,

To those that should their butchers be, And work their lives' decay.

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So that the pretty speech they had
Made murder's heart relent,
And they that undertook the deed
Full sore did now repent.
Yet one of them, more hard of heart,
Did vow to do his charge,
Because the wretch that hired him
Had paid him very large.

The other won't agree thereto,
So here they fall to strife;
With one another they did fight,
About the children's life.
And he that was of mildest mood
Did slay the other there,
Within an unfrequented wood,—
The babes did quake with fear.

He took the children by the hand,
Tears standing in their eye,
And bade them straightway follow him,
And look they did not cry.

And two long miles he led them on,
While they for food complain;

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Stay here," quoth he, "I'll bring you When I come back again." [bread These pretty babes, with hand in hand, Went wandering up and down; But never more could see the man Approaching from the town; Their pretty lips with blackberries Were all besmeared and dyed, And when they saw the darksome night They sat them down and cried. Thus wandered these poor innocents, Till death did end their grief; In one another's arms they died, As wanting due relief.

No burial this pretty pair

Of any man receives,
Till Robin Redbreast piously

Did cover them with leaves.

And now, the heavy wrath of God
Upon their uncle fell;

Yea, fearful fiends did haunt his house,
His conscience felt a hell.

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