“Yet she had twa as fu fair sons As ever the sun did see, An the tane of them lood my sister dear, An the tother said he lood me.” Then out it spake him Bold Arthur, As by the king he stood: “Now, by the faith o my body, This shoud be Rose the Red!” Then in it came him Brown Robin, Frae hunting O the deer; But whan he saw the king was there, He started back for fear. The king has taen him by the hand, An bide him naithing dread; Says, “Ye maun leave the good greenwood, Come to the court wi speed.” Then up he took White Lilly’s son, An set him on his knee; Says—“Gin ye live to wield a bran, My bowman ye sall bee.” The king he sent for robes of green, An girdles o shinning gold; He gart the ladies be arrayd Most comely to behold. They’ve done them unto Mary kirk, An there gat fair wedding, An fan the news spread oer the lan, For joy the bells did ring. Then out it spake her Rose the Red, An a hearty laugh laugh she: “I wonder what would our step-dame say, Gin she his sight did see!” THE BATTLE OF HARLAW EVERGREEN VERSION (_Child_, vol. vii. Early Edition, Appendix.) FRAE Dunidier as I cam throuch, Doun by the hill of Banochie, Allangst the lands of Garioch. Grit pitie was to heir and se The noys and dulesum hermonie, That evir that dreiry day did daw! Cryand the corynoch on hie, Alas! alas! for the Harlaw. I marvlit what the matter meant; All folks were in a fiery fariy: I wist nocht wha was fae or freind, Yet quietly I did me carrie. But sen the days of auld King Hairy, Sic slauchter was not hard nor sene, And thair I had nae tyme to tairy, For bissiness in Aberdene. Thus as I walkit on the way, To Inverury as I went, I met a man, and bad him stay, Requeisting him to mak me quaint Of the beginning and the event That happenit thair at the Harlaw; Then he entreited me to tak tent, And he the truth sould to me schaw. Grit Donald of the Ysles did claim Unto the lands of Ross sum richt, And to the governour he came, Them for to haif, gif that he micht, Wha saw his interest was but slicht, And thairfore answerit with disdain. He hastit hame baith day and nicht, And sent nae bodward back again. But Donald richt impatient Of that answer Duke Robert gaif, He vow’d to God Omniyotent, All the hale lands of Ross to half, Or ells be graithed in his graif: He wald not quat his richt for nocht, Nor be abusit like a slaif; That bargin sould be deirly bocht.