Part 8

THE WIFE OF USHER’S WELL

(Child, vol. iii.)

THERE lived a wife at Usher’s Well, And a wealthy wife was she; She had three stout and stalwart sons, And sent them oer the sea,

They hadna been a week from her, A week but barely ane, When word came to the carline wife That her three sons were gane.

They hadna been a week from her, A week but barely three, Whan word came to the carlin wife That her sons she’d never see.

“I wish the wind may never cease, Nor fashes in the flood, Till my three sons come hame to me, In earthly flesh and blood!”

It fell about the Martinmass, Whan nights are lang and mirk, The carline wife’s three sons came hame, And their hats were o the birk.

It neither grew in syke nor ditch, Nor yet in ony sheugh; But at the gates o Paradise That birk grew fair eneugh.

* * * * *

“Blow up the fire, my maidens! Bring water from the well; For a’ my house shall feast this night, Since my three sons are well.”

And she has made to them a bed, She’s made it large and wide; And she’s taen her mantle her about, Sat down at the bedside.

* * * * *

Up then crew the red, red cock, And up and crew the gray; The eldest to the youngest said, “’Tis time we were away.”

The cock he hadna crawd but once, And clapp’d his wings at a’, Whan the youngest to the eldest said, “Brother, we must awa.

“The cock doth craw, the day doth daw, The channerin worm doth chide; Gin we be mist out o our place, A sair pain we maun bide.

“Fare ye weel, my mother dear! Fareweel to barn and byre! And fare ye weel, the bonny lass That kindles my mother’s fire!”

THE TWA CORBIES

(Child, vol. i.)

AS I was walking all alane, I heard twa corbies making a mane; The tane unto the t’other say, “Where sall we gang and dine the day?”

“In behint yon auld fail dyke, I wot there lies a new-slain knight; And naebody kens that he lies there But his hawk, his hound, and his lady fair.

“His hound is to the hunting gane, His hawk to fetch the wild-fowl hame, His lady’s ta’en another mate, So we may make our dinner sweet.

“Ye’ll sit on his white hause-bane, And I’ll pike out his bonny blue een; Wi ae lock o his gowden hair We’ll theek our nest when it grows bare.

“Mony a one for him makes mane, But nane sall ken whae he is gane, Oer his white banes, when they are bare, The wind sall blaw for evermair.”

THE BONNIE EARL MORAY

(Child, vol. vi.)

YE Highlands, and ye Lawlands Oh where have you been? They have slain the Earl of Murray, And they layd him on the green.

“Now wae be to thee, Huntly! And wherefore did you sae? I bade you bring him wi you, But forbade you him to slay.”

He was a braw gallant, And he rid at the ring; And the bonny Earl of Murray, Oh he might have been a King!