English and Scottish Ballads, Volume II

Ballads, English -- England -- Texts; Ballads, Scots -- Scotland -- Texts

But he is on to Maisry's bower door,
      And tirled at the pin;
    "Ye sleep ye, wake ye, Lady Maisry,
      Ye'll open, let me come in, my dear,
      Ye'll open, let me come in."                                    10

    "O who is this at my bower door,
      Sae well that knows my name?"
    "It is your ain true love, Willie,
      If ye love me, lat me in, my dear,
      If ye love me, lat me in."                                      15

    Then huly, huly raise she up,
      For fear o' making din;
    Then in her arms lang and bent,
      She caught sweet Willie in, my dear,
      She caught sweet Willie in.                                     20

    She lean'd her low down to her toe,
      To loose her true love's sheen;
    But cauld, cauld were the draps o' bleed,
      Fell fae his trusty brand, my dear,
      Fell fae his trusty brand.                                      25

    "What frightfu' sight is that, my love?
      A frightfu' sight to see;
    What bluid is this on your sharp brand,
      O may ye not tell me, my dear?
      O may ye not tell me?"                                          30

    "As I came thro' the woods this night,
      The wolf maist worried me;
    O shou'd I slain the wolf, Maisry?
      Or shou'd the wolf slain me, my dear?
      Or shou'd the wolf slain me?"                                   35

    They hadna kiss'd nor love clapped,
      As lovers when they meet,
    Till up it starts her auld father,
      Out o' his drowsy sleep, my dear,
      Out o' his drowsy sleep.                                        40

    "O what's become o' my house cock
      Sae crouse at ane did craw?
    I wonder as much at my bold watch,
      That's nae shootin ower the wa', my dear,
      That's nae shooting ower the wa'.                               45

    "My gude house cock, my only son,
      Heir ower my land sae free;
    If ony ruffian hae him slain,
      High hanged shall he be, my dear,
      High hanged shall he be."                                       50

    Then he's on to Maisry's bower door,
      And tirled at the pin;
    "Ye sleep ye, wake ye, daughter Maisry,
      Ye'll open, lat me come in, my dear,
      Ye'll open, lat me come in."                                    55

    Between the curtains and the wa',
      She row'd her true love then;
    And huly went she to the door,
      And let her father in, my dear,
      And let her father in.                                          60

    "What's become o' your maries, Maisry,
      Your bower it looks sae teem?
    What's become o' your green claithing?
      Your beds they are sae thin, my dear,
      Your beds they are sae thin."                                   65

    "Gude forgie you, father," she said,
      "I wish ye be't for sin;
    Sae aft as ye hae dreaded me,
      But never found me wrang, my dear,
      But never found me wrang."                                      70

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

English and Scottish Ballads, Volume II

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