PART II

Chapter 113,434 wordsPublic domain

The clinking bell gaed through the town, To carry the dead corse to the clay; And Clerk Saunders stood at may Margaret’s window, I wot, an hour before the day.

‘Are ye sleeping, Marg’ret?’ he says, ‘Or are ye waking presentlie? Give me my faith and troth again, I wot, true love, I gied to thee.’

III

‘Your faith and troth ye sall never get, Nor our true love sall never twin[220], Until ye come within my bower, And kiss me cheik and chin.’

‘My mouth it is full cold, Marg’ret; It has the smell, now, of the ground; And if I kiss thy comely mouth, Thy days of life will not be lang.

‘O cocks are crowing on merry middle-earth, I wot the wild fowls are boding day; Give me my faith and troth again, And let me fare me on my way.’

‘Thy faith and troth thou sallna get, And our true love sall never twin, Until ye tell what comes o’ women, I wot, who die in strong traivelling?’

VII

‘Their beds are made in the heavens high, Down at the foot of our good Lord’s knee, Weel set about wi’ gillyflowers; I wot, sweet company for to see.

VIII

‘O cocks are crowing on merry middle-earth, I wot the wild fowls are boding day; The psalms of heaven will soon be sung, And I, ere now, will be miss’d away.’

Then she has taken a crystal wand, And she has stroken her troth thereon; She has given it him out at the shot-window, Wi’ mony a sad sigh and heavy groan.

‘I thank ye, Marg’ret; I thank ye, Marg’ret; And ay I thank ye heartilie; Gin ever the dead come for the quick, Be sure, Marg’ret, I’ll come for thee.’

It’s hosen and shoon, and gown alone, She climb’d the wall, and follow’d him, Until she came to the green forèst, And there she lost the sight o’ him.

XII

‘Is there ony room at your head, Saunders? Is there ony room at your feet? Or ony room at your side, Saunders, Where fain, fain, I wad sleep?’

XIII

‘There’s nae room at my head, Marg’ret, There’s nae room at my feet; My bed it is fu’ lowly now, Amang the hungry worms I sleep.

XIV

‘Cauld mould is my covering now, But and my winding-sheet; The dew it falls nae sooner down Than my resting-place is weet.

‘But plait a wand o’ bonny birk, And lay it on my breast; And shed a tear upon my grave, And wish my saul gude rest.’

XVI

Then up and crew the red, red cock, And up and crew the gray: ‘’Tis time, ’tis time, my dear Marg’ret, That you were going away.

XVII

‘And fair Marg’ret, and rare Marg’ret, And Marg’ret o’ veritie, Gin e’er ye love another man, Ne’er love him as ye did me.’

FOOTNOTES:

[219] striped = thrust.

[220] twin = break in two.

_28. The Daemon Lover_

‘O where hae ye been, my long, long love, These seven long years and more?’-- ‘O I’m come to seek my former vows, That ye promised me before.’--

‘Awa’ wi’ your former vows,’ she says, ‘For they will breed but strife; Awa’ wi’ your former vows,’ she says, ‘For I am become a wife.

III

‘I am married to a ship-carpenter, A ship-carpenter he’s bound; I wadna he kenn’d my mind this nicht For twice five hundred pound.’

He turn’d him round and round about, And the tear blinded his e’e: ‘I wad never hae trodden on Irish ground If it hadna been for thee.

‘I might hae had a noble lady, Far, far beyond the sea; I might hae had a noble lady, Were it no for the love o’ thee.’--

‘If ye might hae had a noble lady, Yoursel’ ye had to blame; Ye might hae taken the noble lady, For ye kenn’d that I was nane.’--

VII

‘O fause are the vows o’ womankind, But fair is their fause bodie: I wad never hae trodden on Irish ground, Were it no for the love o’ thee.’--

VIII

‘If I was to leave my husband dear, And my wee young son alsua, O what hae ye to tak’ me to, If with you I should gae?’--

‘I hae seven ships upon the sea, The eighth brought me to land; With mariners and merchandise, And music on every hand.

‘The ship wherein my love sall sail Is glorious to behowd; The sails sall be o’ the finest silk, And the mast o’ beaten gowd.’

She has taken up her wee young son, Kiss’d him baith cheek and chin; ‘O fare ye weel, my wee young son, For I’ll never see you again!’

XII

She has put her foot on gude ship-board, And on ship-board she has gane, And the veil that hangit ower her face Was a’ wi’ gowd begane[221].

XIII

She hadna sail’d a league, a league, A league but barely twa, Till she minded on her husband she left And her wee young son alsua.

XIV

‘O haud your tongue o’ weeping,’ he says, ‘Let a’ your follies a-bee; I’ll show where the white lilies grow On the banks o’ Italie.’

She hadna sail’d a league, a league, A league but barely three, Till grim, grim grew his countenance And gurly[222] grew the sea.

XVI

‘What hills are yon, yon pleasant hills, The sun shines sweetly on?’-- ‘O yon are the hills o’ Heaven,’ he said, ‘Where you will never won.’--

XVII

‘O whaten-a mountain is yon,’ she said, ‘Sae dreary wi’ frost and snae[223]?’-- ‘O yon is the mountain o’ Hell,’ he said, ‘Where you and I will gae.

XVIII

‘But haud your tongue, my dearest dear, Let a’ your follies a-bee, I’ll show where the white lilies grow, In the bottom o’ the sea.’

XIX

And aye as she turn’d her round about, Aye taller he seem’d to be; Until that the tops o’ that gallant ship Nae taller were than he.

He strack the top-mast wi’ his hand, The fore-mast wi’ his knee; And he brake that gallant ship in twain, And sank her in the sea.

FOOTNOTES:

[221] begane = overlaid.

[222] gurly = rough, surly.

[223] snae = snow.

_29. Clerk Colven_

Clerk Colven, and his gay ladie, As they walk’d in yon garden green, The belt about her middle jimp[224] It cost Clerk Colven crowns fifteen.

‘O hearken weel now, my good lord, O hearken weel to what I say; When ye gang to the wall[225] o’ Stream O gang nae near the weel-faur’d may[226].’

III

‘O haud your tongue, my gay ladie, Now speak nae mair of that to me; For I nae saw a fair woman [That I cou’d] like so well as thee.’

He’s mounted on his berry-brown steed, And merry, merry rade he on, Till that he came to the wall o’ Stream, And there he saw the mermaiden.

‘Ye wash, ye wash, ye bonny may, And ay’s ye wash your sark o’ silk.’-- ‘It’s a’ for ye, you gentle knight, My skin is whiter than the milk.’

He’s ta’en her by the milk-white hand, He’s ta’en her by the sleeve sae green, And he’s forgotten his gay ladie, And he’s awa’ wi’ the mermaiden.

VII

--‘Ohone, alas!’ says Clerk Colven, ‘And aye so sair as akes my head!’ And merrily leugh[227] the mermaiden, ‘O ’twill win on[228] till you be dead.

VIII

‘But out ye tak’ your little pen-knife, And frae my sark ye shear a gare[229]; Row[230] that about your lovely head, And the pain ye’ll never feel nae mair.’

Out he has ta’en his little pen-knife, And frae her sark he’s shorn a gare; She’s ty’d it round his whey-white face, But and ay his head it akèd mair.

‘Ohone, alas!’ says Clerk Colven, ‘O sairer, sairer akes my head!’-- ‘And sairer, sairer ever will, And aye be war’[231] till ye be dead.’

Then out he drew his shining blade And thought wi’ it to be her deid[232], But she’s become a fish again, And merrily sprang into the fleed[233].

XII

He’s mounted on his berry-brown steed, And dowie[234], dowie rade he hame, And heavily, heavily lighted down When to his ladie’s bower he came.

XIII

‘O mither, mither, mak’ my bed, And, gentle ladie, lay me down; O brither, brither, unbend my bow, ’Twill never be bent by me again!’

XIV

His mither she has made his bed, His gentle ladie laid him down, His brither he has unbent his bow, --’Twas never bent by him again.

FOOTNOTES:

[224] jimp = slim, slender.

[225] wall = well.

[226] weel-faur’d may = well-favoured maiden.

[227] leugh = laughed.

[228] win on = continue.

[229] gare = gore, strip.

[230] row = roll, wrap.

[231] war’ = worse.

[232] deid = death.

[233] fleed = flood.

[234] dowie = dolefully.

_30. Young Hunting_

‘O lady, rock never your young son young One hour longer for me; For I have a sweetheart in Gareloch Wells I love thrice better than thee.

‘The very sole o’ that lady’s foot, Than thy face is mair white.’-- ‘But nevertheless now, Young Hunting, Ye’ll bide in my bower this night?’

III

She has birl’d[235] in him Young Hunting The good ale and the wine, Till he was as fou drunken As any wild-wood swine.

[She has kiss’d him by] the candle-light And the charcoal burning red, And up she has ta’en Young Hunting, And she’s had him to her bed.

And she’s minded her on a little pen-knife That hang’d below her gare[236], And she has gi’en Young Hunting A deep wound and a sair.

Then up and spake the popinjay That flew abune her head: ‘Lady, keep well your green cleiding[237] Frae good Young Hunting’s bleid!’--

VII

‘O better I’ll keep my green cleiding Frae good Young Hunting’s bleid Than thou canst keep thy clattering tongue That trattles in thy head.’

VIII

‘O lang, lang is the winter’s night, And slowly daws[238] the day! There lies a dead man in my bower, And I wish he were away.’

She has call’d upon her bower-maidens, She has call’d them ane by ane: ‘There lies a dead man in my bower, I wish that he were gane.’

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; And they’ve had him to the wan water, Where a’ men ca’s it Clyde.

In the deepest pot of Clyde-water It’s there they flang him in, And put a turf on his breast-bane To hold Young Hunting down.

XII

Then up and spake the popinjay That sat upon the tree; ‘Gae hame, gae hame, ye fause lady, And pay your maids their fee.’--

XIII

‘Come down, come down, my pretty bird, That sits upon the tree; I have a cage o’ beaten gold, I’ll gie it unto thee.’--

XIV

‘How shall I come down, how can I come down, How shall I come down to thee? The things ye said to Young Hunting, The same ye’re saying to me.’

She hadna cross’d a rigg[239] o’ land, A rigg but barely ane, When she met wi’ his auld father, Came riding all alane.

XVI

‘Where has ye been, now, lady fair, Where has ye been sae late? We hae been seeking Young Hunting, But him we canna get.’--

XVII

‘Young Hunting kens a’ the fords o’ Clyde, He’ll ride them ane by ane; And though the night was ne’er so mirk, Young Hunting will be hame.’

XVIII

O there came seeking Young Hunting Mony a lord and knight, And there came seeking Young Hunting Mony a lady bright.

XIX

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.

And they have to his true love gane; But she sware by the thorn, ‘O I have not seen Young Hunting Since yesterday at morn.

XXI

‘It fears me sair in Clyde Water That he is drown’d therein!’ O they have sent for the King’s divers, To dive for Young Hunting.

XXII

‘Gar dive, gar dive!’ the King he cried, ‘Gar dive for gold and fee! O wha will dive for Young Hunting’s sake, Or wha will dive for me?’

XXIII

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.’

XXIV

It fell that in that lady’s castle The King was boun to bed, And out it spake the popinjay That flew abune his head:

XXV

‘Leave off, leave off, your day diving, And dive upon the night; And where that sackless[240] Knight lies slain The candles will burn bright.’

XXVI

They left their diving on the day, And dived upon the night; And over the place Young Hunting lay The candles shone fu’ bright.

XXVII

The deepest pot in Clyde Water They got Young Hunting in, With a green turf tied across his breast To keep that good lord down.

XXVIII

Then up and spake the King himsel’, When he saw the deadly wound: ‘O wha has slain my right-hand man, That held my hawk and hound?’

XXIX

Then up and spake the popinjay, Says, ‘What needs a’ this din? It was his light leman took his life, And hided him in the linn[241].’

XXX

She sware her by the grass sae green, So did she by the corn, She hadna seen Young Hunting Since Monanday at morn.

XXXI

‘Put not the wyte[242] on me,’ she says, ‘It was my May[243] Catheren.’ Then they have cut baith thorn and fern, To burn that maiden in.

XXXII

When they had ta’en her May Catheren, In the bonfire set her in; It wouldna take upon her cheeks, Nor yet upon her chin, Nor yet upon her yellow hair, To heal the deadly sin.

XXXIII

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 chin, Took fast upon her fair body-- She burnt like hollins[244] green.

FOOTNOTES:

[235] birl’d = poured.

[236] gare = gore, in the skirt.

[237] cleiding = clothing.

[238] daws = dawns.

[239] rigg = ridge.

[240] sackless = innocent.

[241] linn = stream, pool.

[242] wyte = blame.

[243] May = Maid.

[244] hollins = holly.

_31. The Great Silkie of Sule Skerrie_

An earthly nourrice[245] sits and sings, And aye she sings, ‘Ba, lily wean! Little ken I my bairn’s father, Far less the land that he staps in.’

Then ane arose at her bed-fit, An’ a grumly guest I’m sure was he: ‘Here am I, thy bairn’s father, Although that I be not comèlie.

III

‘I am a man, upo’ the lan’, An’ I am a silkie[246] in the sea; And when I’m far and far frae lan’, My dwelling is in Sule Skerrie.’

‘It was na weel,’ quo’ the maiden fair, ‘It was na weel, indeed,’ quo’ she, ‘That the Great Silkie of Sule Skerrie Suld hae come and aught[247] a bairn to me.’

Now he has ta’en a purse of goud, And he has pat it upo’ her knee, Sayin’, ‘Gie to me my little young son, An’ tak thee up thy nourrice-fee.

‘An’ it sall pass on a simmer’s day, When the sin shines het on evera stane, That I will tak my little young son, An’ teach him for to swim his lane[248].

VII

‘An’ thu sall marry a proud gunner, An’ a proud gunner I’m sure he’ll be, An’ the very first schot that ere he schoots, He’ll schoot baith my young son and me.’

FOOTNOTES:

[245] nourrice = nurse.

[246] silkie = seal.

[247] aught = own.

[248] his lane = alone, without assistance.

_32. The Wife of Usher’s Well_

There lived a wife at Usher’s well, And a wealthy wife was she; She had three stout and stalwart sons, And sent them o’er the sea.

They hadna been a week from her, A week but barely ane, When word came to the carline[249] wife That her three sons were gane.

III

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

‘I wish the wind may never cease, Nor fashes[250] in the flood, Till my three sons come hame to me In earthly flesh and blood!’

It fell about the Martinmas, When 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[251] nor ditch, Nor yet in ony sheugh[252]; But at the gates o’ Paradise That birk grew fair eneugh.

VII

‘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.’

VIII

And she has made to them a bed, She’s made it large and wide; And she’s ta’en 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 craw’d but once, And clapp’d his wings at a’, When the youngest to the eldest said, ‘Brother, we must awa’.

‘The cock doth craw, the day doth daw, The channerin’[253] worm doth chide; Gin we be miss’d out o’ our place, A sair pain we maun bide.’--

XII

‘Lie still, lie still but a little wee while, Lie still but if we may; Gin my mother should miss us when she wakes, She’ll go mad ere it be day.’--

XIII

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

FOOTNOTES:

[249] carline = old woman.

[250] fashes = troubles.

[251] syke = marsh.

[252] sheugh = trench.

[253] channerin’ = fretting.

_33. A Lyke-Wake Dirge_

This ae nighte, this ae nighte, --_Every nighte and alle_, Fire and fleet[254] and candle-lighte, _And Christe receive thy saule_.

When thou from hence away art past, --_Every nighte and alle_, To Whinny-muir thou com’st at last: _And Christe receive thy saule_.

III

If ever thou gavest hosen and shoon, --_Every nighte and alle_, Sit thee down and put them on: _And Christe receive thy saule._

If hosen and shoon thou ne’er gav’st nane --_Every nighte and alle_, The whinnes sall prick thee to the bare bane; _And Christe receive thy saule._

From whinny-muir when thou may’st pass, --_Every nighte and alle_, To Brig o’ Dread thou com’st at last; _And Christe receive thy saule._

From Brig o’ Dread when thou may’st pass, --_Every nighte and alle_, To Purgatory fire thou com’st at last; _And Christe receive thy saule._

VII

If ever thou gavest meat or drink, --_Every nighte and alle_, The fire sall never make thee shrink; _And Christe receive thy saule._

VIII

If meat or drink thou ne’er gav’st nane, --_Every nighte and alle_, The fire will burn thee to the bare bane; _And Christe receive thy saule._

This ae nighte, this ae nighte, --_Every nighte and alle_, Fire and fleet and candle-lighte, _And Christe receive thy saule_.

FOOTNOTES:

[254] fleet = floor. _Other readings are_ ‘sleet’ _and_ ‘salt’.

_34. The Unquiet Grave_

‘The wind doth blow to-day, my love, And a few small drops of rain; I never had but one true-love; In cold grave she was lain.

‘I’ll do as much for my true-love As any young man may; I’ll sit and mourn all at her grave For a twelvemonth and a day.’

III

The twelvemonth and a day being up, The dead began to speak: ‘Oh who sits weeping on my grave, And will not let me sleep?’--

‘’Tis I, my love, sits on your grave, And will not let you sleep; For I crave one kiss of your clay-cold lips, And that is all I seek.’--

‘You crave one kiss of my clay-cold lips; But my breath smells earthy strong; If you have one kiss of my clay-cold lips, Your time will not be long.

‘’Tis down in yonder garden green, Love, where we used to walk, The finest flower that ere was seen Is wither’d to a stalk.

VII

‘The stalk is wither’d dry, my love, So will our hearts decay; So make yourself content, my love, Till God calls you away.’