Page images
PDF
EPUB

15. 'Here is a royal ring,' she said,

'That I have found in the green sea;
And while your finger it is on,

Drawn shall your blood never be;
But if you touch me, tail or fin,

I swear my ring your death shall be.' 16. He's louted him o'er the Eastmuir craig, As out she swang and about the tree; He stepped in, gave her a kiss,

The royal ring he brought him wi’.

17. Her breath was strang, her hair was lang And twisted ance about the tree, As awa' she gid and again she swang 'Come to the craig, an' kiss with me!

18. 'Here is a royal brand,' she said,

"That I have found in the green sea;
And while your body it is on,
Drawn shall your blood never be;
But if you touch me, tail or fin,

I swear my brand your death shall be.'

19. He's louted him o'er the Eastmuir craig, As out she swang and about the tree; He stepped in, gave her a kiss

That royal brand he brought him wi'.

20. Her breath was sweet, her hair grew short, And twisted nane about the tree,

As awa' she gid and again she came
The fairest lady that ever could be.
21. ‘O was it a wer-wolf into the wood,
Or was it a mermaid into the sea,
Or was it a man or a vile woman,
My true love, that mis-shapit thee?'-
22. 'It was na wer-wolf into the wood,
Nor was it mermaid into the sea,
But and it was my vile stepmother,

And wae and weary mote she be!

23. 'O a heavier weird shall light her on, Her hair sall grow rough an' her teeth grow

lang,

And aye on her four feet sall she gang,
And aye in Wormeswood sall she won!'

BONNIE ANNIE

I. THERE was a rich lord, and he lived in Forfar, He had a fair lady and one only dochter.

2. O she was fair! O dear, she was bonnie! A ship's captain courted her to be his honey.

3. 'Ye'll steal your father's gowd, and your mother's money,

And I'll make ye a lady in Ireland bonnie.'

4. She's stown her father's gowd, and her mother's

money,

But she was never a lady in Ireland bonnie.

5. They hadna sail'd far till the young thing cried 'Woman!'

'What can a woman do, love, I will do for ye.

6. 'Lay about, steer about, lay our ship cannie, Do all ye can to save my dear Annie.'

7. 'There's fey folk in our ship, she winna sail for me,

There's fey folk in our ship, she winna sail ony.' 8. They've castin' black bullets twice six and forty, And ae the black bullet fell on bonnie Annie.

9. 'Ye'll tak me in your arms twa, lo, lift me cannie, Throw me out owre-board, your ain dear Annie.'

10. He has ta'en her in his arms twa, lo, lifted her cannie,

He has laid her on a bed of down, his ain dear
Annie.

II. 'What can a woman do, love, I'll do for ye:' 'Muckle can a woman do, ye canna do for me.'

12. 'Lay about, steer about, lay our ship cannie, Do all ye can to save my dear Annie.'

13. 'I've laid about, steer'd about, laid about cannie, Our ship's on a sand-bank, she winna sail ony.14. 'Ye'll take her in your arms twa, lo, lift her cannie,

And throw her out owre-board, your ain dear
Annie.'

15. He has ta'en her in his arms twa, lo, lifted her

cannie,

He has thrown her out owre-board, his ain dear
Annie.

16. The corse it did float, the ship it did follow Until that they came to the high banks o' Yarrow.

17. 'O I'd bury my love on the high banks o' Yarrow,

But the wood it is dear, and the planks they are narrow.'

18. He made his love a coffin o' the gowd sae yellow, And buried his bonnie love doun in a sea valley.

BROWN ROBYN'S CONFESSION

1. It fell upon a Wadensday

Brown Robyn's men went to sea;
But they saw neither moon nor sun
Nor starlight wi' their e'e.

2. 'We'll cast kevels us amang;

See wha the man may

be.'

The kevel fell on Brown Robyn,

The master-man was he.

3. 'It is nae wonder,' said Brown Robyn, 'Altho' I dinna thrive;

For at home I murder'd my ain father
I would he were on live.

4. 'But tie me to a plank o' wude,
And throw me in the sea;

And if I sink, ye may bid me sink,
But if I swim, let be.'

5. They've tied him to a plank o' wude
And thrown him in the sea;

He didna sink, tho' they bade him sink,
He swim'd, and they bade let be.

6. He hadna been into the sea

An hour but barely three,
Till by it came Our Blessed Ladie
Her dear young son her wi'.

7. 'Will ye gang to your men again,
Or will ye gang wi' me?
Will ye gang to the high heavens
Wi' my dear son and me?'-

« PreviousContinue »