‘O keep my bairn, nourice, Till he gang by the hauld[97], An ye’s win hame to your young son Ye left in four nights auld. X ‘O nourice lay your head [Here] upo’ my knee: See ye not that narrow road Up by yonder tree? XI [‘See ye not the narrow road By yon lillie leven?] That’s the road the righteous goes And that’s the road to heaven. XII ‘An’ see na ye that braid road Down by yon sunny fell? Yon’s the road the wicked gae, An’ that’s the road to hell. XIII [‘An’ see na ye that bonny road About the fernie brae? That wins back frae Elfland Where you must wait to gae.’] FOOTNOTES: [94] _greet_ = cry. [95] _ben_ = to the inner room. [96] nourice = nurse. [97] gang by the hauld = walk by holding on to the hand. _8. Lady Isabel and the Elf-Knight_ I _My plaid awa’, my plaid awa’, And o’er the hill and far awa’; And far awa’ to Norrowa’, My plaid shall not be blown awa’!_ II Lady Isabel sits in her bower sewing, _Aye as the gowans[98] grow gay_-- She heard an elf-knight his horn blawing, The first morning in May. III The elfin-knight sits on yon hill, He blaws his horn baith loud and shrill. IV He blaws it east, he blaws it west, He blaws it where he lyketh best. V ‘I wish that horn were in my kist[99], Yea, and the knight in my arms niest[100].’ VI She had no sooner these words said, When that knight came to her bed. VII ‘Thou art owre young a maid,’ quoth he, ‘Married with me thou ill wouldst be.’-- VIII ‘I have a sister younger than I, And she was married yesterday.’-- IX ‘Married with me if thou wouldst be, A courtesie thou must do to me. X ‘For thou must shape a sark[101] to me Without any cut or hem,’ quoth he. XI ‘It’s ye maun shape it knife-and-shurlesse, And also sew it needle-threedlesse. XII ‘And ye maun wash it in yonder well, Where the dew never wat[102] nor the rain never fell. XIII ‘And ye maun dry it upon a thorn That never budded sin Adam was born.’-- XIV ‘Now sin ye have asked some things o’ me, It’s right I ask as mony o’ thee. XV ‘My father he ask’d me an acre o’ land Between the saut sea and the strand. XVI ‘And ye maun are[103] it wi’ your blawin’ horn, And ye maun sow it wi’ pepper corn. XVII ‘And ye maun harrow it with ae tyne[104], And ye maun shear it with ae horse bane. XVIII ‘And ye maun stack it in yon mouse-hole, And ye maun thresh it in yon shoe-sole. XIX ‘And ye maun winnow it in your loof[105], And ye maun sack it in your glove. XX ‘And ye maun bring it owre the sea, Fair and clean and dry to me. XXI