24 Lord John rose, put on his clothes, Sought neither stockens nor shoon, An between the ha and the stable He made not a step but one. 25 'O open, open, to me, Burd Ellen, O open an let me in:' 'O yes, O yes, will I, Lord John, But not till I can win; O yes, will I, Lord John,' she says, 'But I'm lyin wi your young son.' 26 He's taen the door wi his foot, An he kepped it wi his knee; He made the door of double deals In splinders soon to flee. 27 'An askin ye'll grant me, Lord John, An askin ye'll grant me; May the meanest maid about the place Bring a glass o water to me?' 28 'O hold your tongue, Burd Ellen,' he said, 'Lat a' your askins be; For the best maid about the house Shall bring a glass o wine to thee. 29 'An the best bed about it a', For my young son an thee; My mother and my ae sister Sal bear you company. 30 'Your marriage an your kirkin day They sal be both in ane, An a' these ha's an bowers, Burd Ellen, They sal be yours an mine.' E Harris MS., No 8, fol. 12 b: originally from Jannie Scott, an old nurse in Perthshire, about 1790. 1 'I beg you bide at hame, Margaret, An sew your silken seam; If ye waur in the wide Hielands, Ye wald be owre far frae hame.' 2 'I winna bide at hame,' she said, 'Nor sew my silken seam; For if I waur in the wide Hielands, I wald no be owre far frae hame.' 3 'My steed sall drink the blude-red wine, An you the water wan; I'll mak you sigh, an say, alace, That ever I loed a man!' 4 'Though your steed does drink the blude-red wine, An me the water wan, Yet will I sing, an merry be, That ever I loed a man.' 5 'My hounds shall eat the bread o wheat, An you the bread o bran; I'll mak you sigh, an say, alace, That ever you loed Lord John!' 6 'Though your hounds do eat the bread o wheat, An me the bread o bran, Yet will I sing, an merrie be, That ever I loed Lord John.' 7 He turned aboot his high horse head, An awa he was boun to ride; She kilted up her green clieden, An after him she gaed. 8 Whan they cam to that water Whilk a' man ca the Clyde, He turned aboot his high horse head, Said, Ladie, will you ride? 9 'I learnt it in my mother's bour, I wish I had learnt it weel, That I could swim this wan water As weel as fish or eel.' 10 Whan at the middle o that water, She sat doon on a stone; He turned aboot his high horse head, Says, Ladie, will ye loup on? 11 'I learnt in my mother's bour, I wish I had learnt it better, That I culd swim this wan water As weel as eel or otter.'