8. 'O lang, lang is the winter's night, There lies a dead man in my bower, 9. She has call'd upon her bower-maidens, 10. They have booted and spurr'd Young Hunting As he was wont to ride A hunting-horn about his neck, And a sharp sword by his side; 11. In the deepest pot of Clyde-water 12. Then up and spake the popinjay 'Gae hame, gae hame, ye fause lady, 13. 'Come down, come down, my pretty bird, That sits upon the tree; I have a cage o' beaten gold, 14. 'How shall I come down, how can I come down, How shall I come down to thee? The things ye said to Young Hunting, 15. She hadna cross'd a rigg o' land, When she met wi' his auld father, 16. 'Where has ye been, now, lady fair, We hae been seeking Young Hunting, 17. 'Young Hunting kens a' the fords o' Clyde, He'll ride them ane by ane; And though the night was ne'er so mirk, 18. O there came seeking Young Hunting And there came seeking Young Hunting 19. And it fell ance upon a day The King was bound to ride, And he has miss'd Young Hunting, Should hae ridden on his right side. 20. And they have to his true love gane; 'O I have not seen Young Hunting 21. 'It fears me sair in Clyde Water O they have sent for the King's divers, 22. 'Gar dive, gar dive!' the King he cried, 'Gar dive for gold and fee! O wha will dive for Young Hunting's sake, 23. They dived in at the tae water-bank, They dived in at the tither: 'We can dive no more for Young Hunting, Altho' he were our brither.' 24. It fell that in that lady's castle 25. 'Leave off, leave off, your day diving, And dive upon the night; And where that sackless Knight lies slain 26. They left their diving on the day, And over the place Young Hunting lay 27. The deepest pot in Clyde Water With a green turf tied across his breast 28. Then up and spake the King himsel', 29. Then up and spake the popinjay, 30. She sware her by the grass sae green, So did she by the corn, She hadna seen Young Hunting Since Monanday at morn. 31. 'Put not the wyte on me,' she says, 'It was my May Catheren.' Then they have cut baith thorn and fern, 32. When they had ta'en her May Catheren, In the bonfire set her in; It wouldna take upon her cheeks, Nor yet upon her yellow hair, To heal the deadly sin. 33. Out they have ta'en her May Catheren, And put the lady in: O it took upon her cheek, her cheek, Took fast upon her fair body- THE WIFE OF USHER'S WELL I. THERE lived a wife at Usher's well, She had three stout and stalwart sons, 2. They hadna been a week from her, When word came to the carline wife That her three sons were gane. |