He's throw the dark, and throw the mark, "O sleep ye, wake ye, May Margaret, "O will ye to the cards, Margaret, Or to the table to dine? Or to the bed, that's weel down spread, "I'll no go to the cards," she says, "Nor to the table to dine; 10 15 20 But I'll go to a bed, that's weel down spread, 25 And sleep when we get time.' They were not weel lyen down, And no weel fa'en asleep, When up and stood May Margaret's brethren, "O tell us, tell us, May Margaret, And dinna to us len, O wha is aught yon noble steed, That stands your stable in ? 80 "The steed is mine, and it may be thine, To ride whan ye ride in hie 35 "But awa', awa', my bald brethren, Awa', and mak nae din; For I am as sick a lady the nicht As e'er lay a bower within." "O tell us, tell us, May Margaret, And dinna to us len, O wha is aught yon noble hawk, That stands your kitchen in ?” 40 “The hawk is mine, and it may be thine, To hawk whan ye hawk in hie 45 “But awa', awa', my bald brethren ! Awa', and mak nae din; For I'm ane o' the sickest ladies this nicht That e'er lay a bower within.” "O tell us, tell us, May Margaret, And dinna to us len, O wha is that, May Margaret, You and the wa' between ?" 50 "O it is my bower-maiden,” she says, 55 "As sick as sick can be; O it is my bower maiden," she says, And she's thrice as sick as me." "We hae been east, and we've been west, And low beneath the moon ; 80 But a' the bower-women e'er we saw Then up and spak her eldest brither, "It is Clerk Saunders, your true love, And never mat I the, But for this scorn that he has done, This moment he sall die." But up and spak her youngest brother, Ay in good time spak he: “O but they are a gudelie pair !— True lovers an ye be, The sword that hangs at my sword belt Sall never sinder ye!" Syne up and spak her nexten brother, And the tear stood in his ee: “You've lo'ed her lang, and lo'ed her weel, And pity it wad be, The sword that hangs at my sword-belt Shoud ever sinder ye!" But up and spak her fifthen brother, "Sleep on your sleep for me; But we baith sall never sleep again, For the tane o' us sall die!" [But up and spak her midmaist brother; And an angry laugh leugh he : "The thorn that dabs, I'll cut it down, Though fair the rose may be. 65 70 75 80 85 "The flower that smell'd sae sweet yestreen Has lost its bloom wi' thee And though I'm wae it should be sae, And up and spak her thirden brother, Ay in ill time spak he: "Curse on his love and comeliness! Dishonour'd as ye be, The sword that hangs at my sword-belt Sall quickly sinder ye! " Her eldest brother has drawn his sword; Her second has drawn anither Between Clerk Saunders' hause and collar bane The cald iron met thegither. 90 95 100 "O wae be to you, my fause brethren, And an ill death mat ye die! Ye mith slain Clerk Saunders in open field, 105 And no in the bed wi' me.” When seven years were come and gane, Lady Margaret she thought lang; By the lee licht o' the moon. She was lookin o'er her castle high, To see what she might fa'; And there she saw a grieved ghost Comin waukin o'er the wa.' 110 114. The wa' here is supposed to mean the wall, which, in some old castles, surrounded the court. J. "O are ye a man of mean," she says, "Seekin ony o' my meat? Or are you a rank robber, Come in my bower to break? "O I'm Clerk Saunders, your true love; Behold, Margaret, and see, And mind, for a' your meikle pride, Sae will become of thee." "Gin ye be Clerk Saunders, my true love, This meikle marvels me: O wherein is your bonny arms That wont to embrace me?” 115 120 125 By worms they're eaten, in mools they're rotten, Behold, Margaret, and see; And mind, for a' your mickle pride, Sae will become o' thee!" 180 O, bonny, bonny sang the bird, But dowie, dowie was the maid, That follow'd the corpse o' clay. "Is there ony room at your head, Saunders, Is there ony room at your feet? 135 Is there ony room at your twa sides, "There is nae room at my head, Margaret, As little at my feet; |