"I weird ye to a fiery beast, And relieved sall ye never be, Till Kempion, the kingis son,

Cum to the crag, and thrice kiss thee."

O meikle dolour did she dree,

And aye the salt seas o'er she swam ; And far mair dolour did she dree

On Estmere crags, ere she them clamb.

And aye she cried for Kempion,

Gin he would but come to her hand: Now word has gane to Kempion, That sicken a beast was in his land.

'Now, by my sooth," said Kempion, "This fiery beast I'll gang and see." "And, by my sooth," said Segramour, 'My ae brother, I'll gang wi' thee."

66

Then bigged hae they a bonnie boat,
And they hae set her to the sea;
But a mile before they reached the shore,
Around them she gart the red fire flee.

"O Segramour, keep the boat afloat, And lat her na the land owre near; For this wicked beast will sure gae wud, And set fire to a' the land and mair."

Syne has he bent an arblast bow,

And aim'd an arrow at her head; And swore if she didna quit the land,

Wi' that same shaft to shoot her dead.

"O out of my stythe I winna rise,
(And it is not for the awe o' thee,)
Till Kempion, the kingis son,

Cum to the crag, and thrice kiss me."

He has louted him o'er the dizzy crag,
And gi'en the monster kisses ane;
Awa she gaed, and again she cam,

The fieriest beast that ever was seen.

"O out o' my stythe I winna rise,
(And not for a' thy bow nor thee,)
Till Kempion, the kingis son,

Cum to the crag, and thrice kiss me."

He's louted him o'er the Estmere crags,
And he has gi'en her kisses twa;
Awa she gaed, and again she cam,
The fieriest beast that ever you saw.

"O out of my den I winna rise,
Nor flee it for the fear o' thee,
Till Kempion, that courteous knight,
Come to the crag, and thrice kiss me.”

He's louted him o'er the lofty crag,
And he has gi'en her kisses three:
Awa she gaed, and again she cam,
The loveliest ladye e'er could be.

"And by my sooth," says Kempion,
"My ain true love, (for this is she,)

They surely had a heart o' stane,
Could put thee to such misery.

"O was it werewolf in the wood
Or was it mermaid in the sea?
Or was it man, or vile woman,

My ain true love, that misshaped thee?"

"It was na werewolf in the wood,
Nor was it mermaid in the sea;
But it was my wicked stepmother,
And wae and weary may she be !"

O a heavier weird shall light her on
Than ever fell on vile woman;

Her hair shall grow rough, and her teeth
grow lang,

And on her four feet shall she gang.

"None shall take pity her upon;
In Wormeswood she aye shall won;
And relieved shall she never be,
Till St Mungo come over the sea.'
And sighing said that weary wight,
"I doubt that day I'll never see!"

KEMP OWYNE.

The subject of this ballad is the same as that of the preceding, but is very differently treated. The present version is from recitation. From the air to which it is sung being similar to that of the ludicrous song of Kempy Kay, or Kempy Kane, one would be inclined to believe that the latter was a burlesque of the serious ballad. Ringing these merry changes on sad metres was no uncommon usage among the Northern Minstrels; of this Mr Jamieson has produced several instances, in his interesting translations from the Danish ballads.-MOTHERWELL.

HER mother died when she was young,
Which gave her cause to make great moan;
Her father married the warst woman
That ever lived in Christendom.

She served her with foot and hand,
In every thing that she could dee;
Till once, in an unlucky time,

She threw her ower in Craigy's sea.
Says, "Lie you there, dove Isabel,
And all my sorrows lie with thee;
Till Kemp Owyne come ower the sea,
And borrow you with kisses three,
Let all the warld do what they will,
Or borrowed shall you never be.'

Her breath grew strang, her hair grew lang,
And twisted thrice about the tree,
And all the people far and near

Thought that a savage beast was she;
Thir news did come to Kemp Owyne,
Where he lived far beyond the sea.

He hasted him to Craigy's sea,

And on the savage beast look'd he;
Her breath was strang, her hair was lang,
And twisted was about the tree;
And with a swing, she came about,

"Come to Craigy's sea and kiss with me.

"Here is a royal belt," she cried,

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 vow my belt your death shall be.”

He stepped in, gave her a kiss,

The royal belt he brought him wi', Her breath was strang, her hair was lang, And twisted twice about the tree; And with a swing she came about,

"Come to Craigy's sea and kiss with me.

"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."

He stepped in, gave her a kiss,

The royal ring he brought him wi’; Her breath was strang, her hair was lang, And twisted ance around the tree; And with a swing she came about,

"Come to Craigy's sea and kiss with me.

"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."

He stepped in gave her a kiss,

The royal brand he brought him wi', Her breath was sweet, her hair grew short, And twisted nane about the tree;

And smilingly she came about,

As fair a woman as fair could be.