My love he built another ship, and set her on the main, And nane but twenty mariners for to bring her hame, But the weary wind began to rise, and the sea began to rout; My love then and his bonny ship turned withershins[34] about. There shall neither coif come on my head nor comb come in my hair; There shall neither coal nor candle-light come in my bower mair; Nor will I love another one until the day I die, For I never loved a love but one, and he's drowned in the sea. "O haud your tongue, my daughter dear, be still and be content; There are mair lads in Galloway, ye neen nae sair lament." O there is none in Gallow, there's none at a' for me; For I never loved a love but one, and he's drowned in the sea. [32] Quoted by Child, 'Ballads,' iv. 318. [33] Separated, divided. [34] An equivalent to upside down, "in the wrong direction." The French song[35] has a more tender note:-- Low, low he lies who holds my heart, The sea is rolling fair above; Go, little bird, and tell him this,-- Go, little bird, and fear no harm,-- Say I am still his faithful love, Say that to him I stretch my arms. [35] See Tiersot, 'La Chanson Populaire,' p. 103, with the music. The final verses, simple as they are, are not rendered even remotely well. They run:-- Que je suis sa fidele amie, Et que vers lui je tends les bras. Another song, widely scattered in varying versions throughout France, is of the forsaken and too trustful maid,--'En revenant des Noces.' The narrative in this, as in the Scottish song, makes it approach the ballad. Back from the wedding-feast, All weary by the way, I rested by a fount And watched the waters' play; And at the fount I bathed, So clear the waters' play; And with a leaf of oak I wiped the drops away. Upon the highest branch Loud sang the nightingale. Sing, nightingale, oh sing, Thou hast a heart so gay! Not gay, this heart of mine: My love has gone away, Because I gave my rose Too soon, too soon away. Ah, would to God that rose Yet on the rosebush lay,-- Would that the rosebush, even, Unplanted yet might stay,-- Would that my lover Pierre My favor had to pray![36] [36] Tiersot, p. 90. In many versions there is further complication with king and queen and the lover. This song is extremely popular in Canada. The corresponding Scottish song, beautiful enough for any land or age, is the well-known 'Waly, Waly':-- Oh waly, waly, up the bank, And waly, waly, down the brae, And waly, waly, yon burn-side, Where I and my love wont to gae. I lean'd my back unto an aik, I thought it was a trusty tree; But first it bowed and syne it brak, Sae my true-love did lightly[37] me. Oh waly, waly, but love be bonny A little time, while it is new; But when 'tis auld it waxeth cauld, And fades away like morning dew.