| |
I
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.’— | |
| |
II
‘Awa’ wi’ your former vows,’ she says, | 5 |
| ‘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; | 10 |
| I wadna he kenn’d my mind this nicht | |
| For twice five hundred pound.’ | |
| |
IV
He turn’d him round and round about, | |
| And the tear blinded his e’e: | |
| ‘I wad never hae trodden on Irish ground | 15 |
| If it hadna been for thee. | |
| |
V
‘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.’— | 20 |
| |
VI
‘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, | 25 |
| 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, | 30 |
| O what hae ye to tak’ me to, | |
| If with you I should gae?’— | |
| |
IX
‘I hae seven ships upon the sea, | |
| The eighth brought me to land; | |
| With mariners and merchandise, | 35 |
| And music on every hand. | |
| |
X
‘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.’ | 40 |
| |
XI
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, | 45 |
| And on ship-board she has gane, | |
| And the veil that hangit ower her face | |
| Was a’ wi’ gowd begane. | |
| |
XIII
She hadna sail’d a league, a league, | |
| A league but barely twa, | 50 |
| 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 | 55 |
| On the banks o’ Italie.’ | |
| |
XV
She hadna sail’d a league, a league, | |
| A league but barely three, | |
| Till grim, grim grew his countenance | |
| And gurly grew the sea. | 60 |
| |
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, | 65 |
| Sae dreary wi’ frost and snae?’— | |
| ‘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, | 70 |
| 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 | 75 |
| Nae taller were than he. | |
| |
XX
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. | 80 |
| | | GLOSS: begane] overlaid. gurly] rough, surly. |
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