36 'Cheer up your heart, Burd Ellen,' he says, 'Look nae mair sad nor wae; For your marriage an your kirkin too Sal baith be in ae day.' C Kinloch's annotated copy of his Ancient Scottish Ballads, Kinloch MSS, IV, 180. 1 'The corn is turning ripe, Lord John, The nuts are growing fu, And ye are bound for your ain countrie, Fain wad I go wi you.' 2 'Wi me, Margret, wi me, Margret, What wad ye do wi me? I've mair need o a pretty little boy, To wait upon my steed.' 3 'It's I will be your pretty little boy, To wait upon your steed; And ilka town that we come to, A pack of hounds I'll lead.' 4 'My hounds will eat o the bread o wheat, And ye of the bread of bran; And then you will sit and sigh, That eer ye loed a man.' 5 The first water that they cam to, I think they call it Clyde, He saftly unto her did say, Lady Margret, will ye ride? 6 The first step that she steppit in, She steppit to the knee; Says, Wae be to ye, waefu water, For through ye I maun be. 7 The second step that she steppit in, She steppit to the middle, And sighd, and said, Lady Margaret, 'I've staind my gowden girdle.' 8 The third step that she steppit in, She steppit to the neck; The pretty babe within her sides, The cauld it garrd it squake. 9 'Lie still my babe, lie still my babe, Lie still as lang's ye may, For your father rides on horseback high, Cares little for us twae.' 10 It's whan she cam to the other side, She sat doun on a stane; Says, Them that made me, help me now, For I am far frae hame. 11 'How far is it frae your mither's bouer, Gude Lord John tell to me?' 'It's therty miles, Lady Margaret, It's therty miles and three: And yese be wed to ane o her serving men, For yese get na mair o me.' 12 Then up bespak the wylie parrot, As it sat on the tree, 'Ye lee, ye lee, Lord John,' it said, 'Sae loud as I hear ye lee. 13 'Ye say it's therty miles frae your mither's bouer, Whan it's but barely three; And she'll neer be wed to a serving man, For she'll be your ain ladie.' 14 ['O dinna ye see yon bonnie castle, Lies on yon sunny lea? And yese get ane o my mither's men, For yese get na mair o me.'] 15 ['Well see I yon bonnie castle, Lies on yon sunny lea, But Ise neer hae nane o your mither's men, Tho I never gat mair o thee.'] 16 [Whan he cam to the porter's yett He tirled at the pin, And wha sae ready as the bauld porter To open and lat him in.] 17 Monie a lord and fair ladie Met Lord John in the closs, But the bonniest face amang them a' Was hauding Lord John's horse.