| |
I
THERE were three ladies play’d at the ba’, | |
| With a hey ho! and a lily gay! | |
| By came a knight and he woo’d them a’ | |
| As the primrose spreads so sweetly. | |
| Sing Annet, and Marret, and fair Maisrie, | 5 |
| As the dew hangs i’ the wood, gay ladie! | |
| |
II
The first ane she was clad in red: | |
| ‘O lady fair, Will you be my bride?’ | |
| |
III
The midmost ane was clad in green: | |
| ‘O lady fair, will you be my queen?’ | 10 |
| |
IV
The youngest o’ them was clad in white: | |
| ‘O lady fair, be my heart’s delight!’— | |
| |
V
‘Sir knight ere ye my favour win, | |
| Ye maun get consent frae a’ my kin. | |
| |
VI
‘Ye maun go ask my father, the King: | 15 |
| Sae maun ye ask my mither, the Queen. | |
| |
VII
‘Sae maun ye ask my sister Anne, | |
| And dinna forget my brother John.’ | |
| |
VIII
He has sought her from her father, the King | |
| And sae did he her mither, the Queen. | 20 |
| |
IX
He has sought her from her sister Anne: | |
| But he has forgot her brither John. | |
| |
X
Now when the wedding day was come, | |
| The knight would take his bonny bride home. | |
| |
XI
And many a lord and many a knight | 25 |
| Came to behold that ladie bright. | |
| |
XII
And there was nae man that did her see | |
| But wish’d himself bridegroom to be. | |
| |
XIII
Her father led her down the stair, | |
| And her mither dear she kiss’d her there. | 30 |
| |
XIV
Her sister Anne led her thro’ the close, | |
| And her brother John set her on her horse. | |
| |
XV
She lean’d her o’er the saddle-bow, | |
| To give him a kiss ere she did go. | |
| |
XVI
He has ta’en a knife, baith lang and sharp, | 35 |
| And stabb’d that bonny bride to the heart. | |
| |
XVII
She hadna ridden half thro’ the town, | |
| Until her heart’s blude stain’d her gown. | |
| |
XVIII
‘Ride saftly up,’ said the best young man; | |
| ‘I think our bride come hooly on.’ | 40 |
| |
XIX
‘Ride up, ride up,’ said the second man; | |
| ‘I think our bride looks pale and wan.’ | |
| |
XX
Up then comes the gay bridegroom, | |
| And straight unto the bride he came. | |
| |
XXI
‘Does your side-saddle sit awry? | 45 |
| Or does your steed [go heavily]?’— | |
| |
XXII
‘O lead me gently over yon stile, | |
| For there would I sit and bleed awhile. | |
| |
XXIII
‘O lead me gently up yon hill, | |
| For there would I sit and make my will.’— | 50 |
| |
XXIV
‘O what will you leave to your father dear?’— | |
| ‘The milk-white steed that brought me here.’— | |
| |
XXV
‘What will you leave to your mother dear?’— | |
| ‘My wedding shift that I do wear.’— | |
| |
XXVI
‘What will you leave to your sister Anne?’— | 55 |
| ‘My silken snood and my golden fan.’— | |
| |
XXVII
‘What will you leave to your brother John?’— | |
| With a hay ho! and a lily gay! | |
| ‘The gallows-tree to hang him on.’ | |
| And the primrose spreads so sweetly. | 60 |
| Sing Annet, and Marret, and fair Maisrie, | |
| And the dew hangs i’ the wood, gay ladie! | |
| | | GLOSS: hooly] slowly, softly. |
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