7 'Married with me if thou wouldst be, A courtesie thou must do to me. 8 'For thou must shape a sark to me, Without any cut or heme,' quoth he. 9 'Thou must shape it knife-and-sheerlesse, And also sue it needle-threedlesse.' 10 'If that piece of courtesie I do to thee, Another thou must do to me. 11 'I have an aiker of good ley-land, Which lyeth low by yon sea-strand. 12 'For thou must eare it with thy horn, So thou must sow it with thy corn. 13 'And bigg a cart of stone and lyme, Robin Redbreast he must trail it hame. 14 'Thou must barn it in a mouse-holl, And thrash it into thy shoes soll. 15 'And thou must winnow it in thy looff, And also seck it in thy glove. 16 'For thou must bring it over the sea, And thou must bring it dry home to me. 17 'When thou hast gotten thy turns well done, Then come to me and get thy sark then.' 18 'I'l not quite my plaid for my life; It haps my seven bairns and my wife.' The wind shall not blow my plaid awa 19 'My maidenhead I'l then keep still, Let the elphin knight do what he will.' The wind's not blown my plaid awa B A Collection of Curious Old Ballads, etc., p. 3. Partly from an old copy in black letter, and partly from the recitation of an old lady. My plaid awa, my plaid awa, And owre the hills and far awa, And far awa to Norrowa, My plaid shall not be blawn awa. 1 The Elphin knight sits on yon hill, Ba, ba, ba, lillie ba He blaws his horn baith loud and shrill. The wind hath blawn my plaid awa 2 He blaws it east, he blaws it west, He blaws it where he liketh best. 3 'I wish that horn were in my kist, Yea, and the knight in my arms niest.' 4 She had no sooner these words said, Than the knight came to her bed. 5 'Thou art oer young a maid,' quoth he, 'Married with me that thou wouldst be.' 6 'I have a sister, younger than I, And she was married yesterday.' 7 'Married with me if thou wouldst be, A curtisie thou must do to me. 8 'It's ye maun mak a sark to me, Without any cut or seam,' quoth he. 9 'And ye maun shape it, knife-, sheerless, And also sew it needle-, threedless.' 10 'If that piece of courtisie I do to thee, Another thou must do to me. 11 'I have an aiker of good ley land, Which lyeth low by yon sea strand. 12 'It's ye maun till 't wi your touting horn, And ye maun saw 't wi the pepper corn. 13 'And ye maun harrow 't wi a thorn, And hae your wark done ere the morn. 14 'And ye maun shear it wi your knife, And no lose a stack o 't for your life. 15 'And ye maun stack it in a mouse hole, And ye maun thrash it in your shoe sole.