JOHN O' HAZELGREEN..

NEITHER the present version of this ballad, (taken from Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, ii. 253,) nor that furnished by Kinloch, (Jock o' Hazelgreen, p. 206,) is at all satisfactory. Another, much superior in point of taste, but made up from four different copies, is given in Chambers's Scottish Ballads, p. 319.

Sir W. Scott's song of Jock o' Hazeldean was suggested by a single stanza of this ballad, which he had heard as a fragment, thus:

As I went forth to take the air

Intill an evening clear,
And there I spied a lady fair
Making a heavy bier.
Making a heavy bier, I say,

But and a piteous meen;

And aye she sigh'd, and said, alas!

For John o' Hazelgreen.

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The sun was sinking in the west,

The stars were shining clear;

When thro' the thickets o' the wood,

A gentleman did appear.

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Says, "who has done you the wrong, fair maid,

And left you here alane;

Or who has kiss'd your lovely lips,

That ye ca' Hazelgreen?"

"Hold your tongue, kind sir," she said,

"And do not banter so;

How will ye add affliction

Unto a lover's woe?

For none's done me the wrong," she said,

"Nor left me here alane;

Nor none has kiss'd my lovely lips,

That I ca' Hazelgreen."

"Why weep ye by the tide, lady? Why weep ye by the tide ?

How blythe and happy might he be

Gets you to be his bride!

Gets you to be his bride, fair maid,

And him I'll no bemean;

But when I take my words again,
Whom call ye Hazelgreen?

"What like a man was Hazelgreen?

Will ye show him to me ? "He is a comely proper youth,

I in my sleep did see ;

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Wi' arms tall, and fingers small,—
He's comely to be seen;"

And

aye she loot the tears down fall For John o' Hazelgreen.

"If ye'll forsake young Hazelgreen. And go along with me,

I'll wed you to my eldest son,

Make you a lady free.”

"It's for to wed your eldest son

I am a maid o'er mean;

I'll rather stay at home," she says, "And die for Hazelgreen."

"If ye'll forsake young Hazelgreen, And go along with me,

I'll wed you to my second son,

And your weight o' gowd I'll gie." "It's for to wed your second son

I am a maid o'er mean;

I'll rather stay at home," she says, "And die for Hazelgreen."

Then he's taen out a siller comb,
Comb'd down her yellow hair;
And looked in a diamond bright,
To see if she were fair.

แ "My girl, ye do all maids surpass

That ever I have seen;

Cheer up your heart, my lovely lass,
And hate young Hazelgreen."

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Young Hazelgreen he is my love,
And ever mair shall be;

I'll nae forsake young Hazelgreen
For a' the gowd ye'll gie.”
But aye she sigh'd, and said, alas!
And made a piteous meen;

And aye she loot the tears down fa',
For John o' Hazelgreen.

He looked high, and lighted low,

Set her upon his horse;
And they rode on to Edinburgh,

To Edinburgh's own cross.
And when she in that city was,

She look'd like ony queen; "Tis a pity such a lovely lass

Shou'd love young Hazelgreen."

"Young Hazelgreen, he is my love,

And ever mair shall be;

I'll nae forsake young Hazelgreen

For a' the gowd ye'll gie."

And aye she sigh'd, and said, alas!

And made a piteous meen;

And aye she loot the tears down fa',

For John o' Hazelgreen.

"Now hold your tongue, my well-far'd maid,

Lat a' your mourning be,

And a' endeavours I shall try,

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To bring that youth to thee;

If ye'll tell me where your love stays,
His stile and proper name."
"He's laird o' Taperbank," she says,
"His stile, Young Hazelgreen."

Then he has coft for that lady
A fine silk riding gown;
Likewise he coft for that lady

A steed, and set her on;
Wi' menji feathers in her hat,

Silk stockings and siller sheen; And they are on to Taperbank, Seeking young Hazelgreen.

They nimbly rode along the way,
And gently spurr'd their horse,
Till they rode on to Hazelgreen,
To Hazelgreen's own close.

Then forth he came, young Hazelgreen,
To welcome his father free;

"You're welcome here, my father dear,
And a' your companie."

But when he look'd o'er his shoulder,

A light laugh then gae he; Says, "If I getna this lady,

It's for her I must die;

I must confess this is the maid

I ance saw in a dream,

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