"I sent ye to the schools, and ye wadna learn; 35 I bought ye books, and ye wadna read; Therefore my blessing ye shall never earn, Till I see with Bewick thou save thy head." "Now, God forbid, my auld father, That ever sic a thing suld be! 40 Billie Bewick was my master, and I was his scholar,[L41] And aye sae weel as he learned me." "O hald thy tongue, thou limmer loon, And of thy talking let me be! If thou does na end me this quarrel soon, 45 There is my glove, I'll fight wi' thee." Then Christie Græme he stooped low Unto the ground, you shall understand;-- "O father, put on your glove again, The wind has blown it from your hand?" 50 "What's that thou says, thou limmer loon? How dares thou stand to speak to me? If thou do not end this quarrel soon, There's my right hand thou shalt fight with me."-- Then Christie Græme's to his chamber gane, 55 To consider weel what then should be; Whether he should fight with his auld father, Or with his billie Bewick, he. "If I suld kill my billie dear, God's blessing I shall never win; 60 But if I strike at my auld father, I think 'twald be a mortal sin. "But if I kill my billie dear, It is God's will, so let it be; But I make a vow, ere I gang frae hame, 65 That I shall be the next man's die."-- Then he's put on's back a gude auld jack, And on his head a cap of steel, And sword and buckler by his side; O gin he did not become them weel! 70 We'll leave off talking of Christie Græme, And talk of him again belive; And we will talk of bonny Bewick, Where he was teaching his scholars five. When he had taught them well to fence, 75 And handle swords without any doubt, He took his sword under his arm, And he walk'd his father's close about. He look'd atween him and the sun, And a' to see what there might be, 80 Till he spied a man in armour bright, Was riding that way most hastilie. "O wha is yon, that came this way, Sae hastilie that hither came? I think it be my brother dear, 85 I think it be young Christie Græme. "Ye're welcome here, my billie dear, And thrice ye're welcome unto me!"-- "But I'm wae to say, I've seen the day, When I am come to fight wi' thee. 90 "My father's gane to Carlisle town, Wi' your father Bewick there met he: He says I'm a lad, and I am but bad, And a baffled man I trow I be.