29 Then out it speaks the bride hersell, And a sorry heart had she: 'Is there nae ane amang you a' Will dance this dance for me?' 30 Then out it speaks him Sweet Willie, And he spake aye thro pride: 'O draw my boots for me, bridegroom, Or I dance for your bride.' 31 Then out it spake the bride hersell: O na, this maunna be; For I will dance this dance mysell, Tho my back shoud gang in three. 32 She hadna well gane thro the reel, Nor yet well on the green, Till she fell down at Willie's feet As cauld as ony stane. 33 He's taen her in his arms twa, And haed her up the stair; Then up it came her jolly bridegroom, Says, What's your business there? 34 Then Willie lifted up his foot, And dang him down the stair, And brake three ribs o the bridegroom's side, And a word he spake nae mair. 35 Nae meen was made for that lady, When she was lying dead; But a' was for him Sweet Willie, On the fields for he ran mad. G Finlay's Scottish Ballads, II, 61. 1 'Will you marry the southland lord, A queen of fair England to be? Or will you burn for Sweet Willie, The morn upon yon lea?' 2 'I will marry the southland lord, Father, sen it is your will; But I'd rather it were my burial-day, For my grave I'm going till. 3 'O go, O go now, my bower-wife, O go now hastilie, O go now to Sweet Willie's bower, And bid him cum speak to me.' * * * * * * * 4 And he is to his mother's bower, As fast as he could rin: 'Open, open, my mother dear, Open, and let me in. 5 'For the rain rains on my yellow hair, The dew stands on my chin, And I have something in my lap, And I wad fain be in.' 6 'O go, O go now, Sweet Willie, And make your lady blithe, For wherever you had ae nourice, Your young son shall hae five.' 7 Out spak Annet's mother dear, An she spak a word o' pride; Says, Whare is a' our bride's maidens, They're no busking the bride? 8 'O haud your tongue, my mother dear, Your speaking let it be, For I'm sae fair and full o flesh Little busking will serve me.' 9 Out an spak the bride's maidens, They spak a word o pride; Says, Whare is a' the fine cleiding? It's we maun busk the bride. 10 'Deal hooly wi my head, maidens, Deal hooly wi my hair; For it was washen late yestreen, And it is wonder sair.' * * * * * * * 11 And Willie swore a great, great oath, And he swore by the thorn, That she was as free o a child that night As the night that she was born.