The English and Scottish popular ballads, volume 2 (of 5)

Ballads, English -- England -- Texts; Ballads, Scots -- Scotland -- Texts

7
    The firsten town that they cam till,
      She got a leash o huns tae lead,
        .    .    .    .    .    .    .
          .    .    .    .    .    .    .

      *    *    *    *    *    *    *

    8
    When bells were rung, and mass was sung,
      An a' was ready tae dine,
        .    .    .    .    .    .    .
          .    .    .    .    .    .    .

    9
    When bells were rung, and mass was sung,
      An a' were bound for bed,
        .    .    .    .    .    .    .
          .    .    .    .    .    .    .


J

        Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, II, 30.

    1
    The knight stands in his stable-door,
      Says he, I will gae ride;
    A lady stands in her bower-door,
      Says, I'll ride by your side.

    2
    'Ye shall not follow me, Burd Helen,
      Except ye do this deed;
    That is, to saddle to me my horse,
      And bridle to me my steed,
    And every town that ye come to,
      A liesh o hounds to lead.'

    3
    'I will saddle to you your horse,
      Sae will I bridle your steed;
    And every town that we come to,
      A liesh o hounds I'll lead.'

    4
    Take warning a', ye maidens fair,
      That wear scarlet and brown;
    In virtue leave your lammas beds,
      To follow knights frae town.

    5
    'My dogs shall eat the white bread, Helen,
      And you the dust and bran;
    And you will sigh, and say, alas!
      That eer our loves began.'

    6
    'Your dogs may eat the gude white bread,
      And I the dust and bran;
    Yet will I sing, and say, well's me,
      That eer our loves began.'

    7
    'My horse shall drink the gude red wine,
      And you the water wan;
    And then you'll sigh, and say, alas!
      That eer our loves began.'

    8
    'Your horse may drink the gude red wine,
      And I the water wan;
    But yet I'll sing, and say, well's me,
      That eer our loves began.'

    9
    Then Willie lap on his white steed,
      And straight awa did ride;
    Burd Helen, drest in men's array,
      She walked by his side.

    10
    But he was neer sae lack a knight
      As ance woud bid her ride,
    And she was neer sae mean a may
      As ance woud bid him bide.

    11
    Sweet Willie rade, Burd Helen ran,
      A livelang summer's tide,
    Until she came to wan water,
      For a' men ca's it Clyde.

    12
    The first an step that she wade in,
      She wadit to the knee;
    'Ohon, alas!' said that fair maid,
      'This water's nae for me!'

    13
    The next an step that she wade in,
      She wadit to the pap;
    The babe within her sides twa,
      Cauld water gart it quack.

    14
    'Lie still, lie still, my bonny bairn,
      For a' this winna dee;
    Your father rides on high horseback,
      Minds neither you nor me.'

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

General

The English and Scottish popular ballads, volume 2 (of 5)

Ballads, English -- England -- Texts; Ballads, Scots -- Scotland -- Texts

7
    The firsten town that they cam till,
      She got a leash o huns tae lead,
        .    .    .    .    .    .    .
          .    .    .    .    .    .    .

      *    *    *    *    *    *    *

    8
    When bells were rung, and mass was sung,
      An a' was ready tae dine,
        .    .    .    .    .    .    .
          .    .    .    .    .    .    .

    9
    When bells were rung, and mass was sung,
      An a' were bound for bed,
        .    .    .    .    .    .    .
          .    .    .    .    .    .    .


J

        Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, II, 30.

    1
    The knight stands in his stable-door,
      Says he, I will gae ride;
    A lady stands in her bower-door,
      Says, I'll ride by your side.

    2
    'Ye shall not follow me, Burd Helen,
      Except ye do this deed;
    That is, to saddle to me my horse,
      And bridle to me my steed,
    And every town that ye come to,
      A liesh o hounds to lead.'

    3
    'I will saddle to you your horse,
      Sae will I bridle your steed;
    And every town that we come to,
      A liesh o hounds I'll lead.'

    4
    Take warning a', ye maidens fair,
      That wear scarlet and brown;
    In virtue leave your lammas beds,
      To follow knights frae town.

    5
    'My dogs shall eat the white bread, Helen,
      And you the dust and bran;
    And you will sigh, and say, alas!
      That eer our loves began.'

    6
    'Your dogs may eat the gude white bread,
      And I the dust and bran;
    Yet will I sing, and say, well's me,
      That eer our loves began.'

    7
    'My horse shall drink the gude red wine,
      And you the water wan;
    And then you'll sigh, and say, alas!
      That eer our loves began.'

    8
    'Your horse may drink the gude red wine,
      And I the water wan;
    But yet I'll sing, and say, well's me,
      That eer our loves began.'

    9
    Then Willie lap on his white steed,
      And straight awa did ride;
    Burd Helen, drest in men's array,
      She walked by his side.

    10
    But he was neer sae lack a knight
      As ance woud bid her ride,
    And she was neer sae mean a may
      As ance woud bid him bide.

    11
    Sweet Willie rade, Burd Helen ran,
      A livelang summer's tide,
    Until she came to wan water,
      For a' men ca's it Clyde.

    12
    The first an step that she wade in,
      She wadit to the knee;
    'Ohon, alas!' said that fair maid,
      'This water's nae for me!'

    13
    The next an step that she wade in,
      She wadit to the pap;
    The babe within her sides twa,
      Cauld water gart it quack.

    14
    'Lie still, lie still, my bonny bairn,
      For a' this winna dee;
    Your father rides on high horseback,
      Minds neither you nor me.'

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

The English and Scottish popular ballads, volume 2 (of 5)

The English and Scottish popular ballads, volume 2 (of 5)

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