I She lean’d her back unto a thorn; _Fine flowers in the valley_ And there she has her two babes born, _And the green leaves they grow rarely._ II She’s ta’en the ribbon frae her hair, And bound their bodies fast and sair. III ‘Smile na sae sweet, my bonny babes, An’ ye smile sae sweet, ye’ll smile me dead. IV ‘And, O bonny babes, if ye suck sair, Ye’ll never suck by my side mair.’ V She’s ta’en out her little penknife And twinn’d[200] the sweet babes o’ their life. VI She’s howket a grave baith deep and wide, And there she’s buried them side by side. VII She’s buried them baith beneath the brier, And washed her hands wi’ mony a tear. VIII ‘O ay, my God, as I look to thee, My babes be atween my God and me! IX ‘And ay their smiles wad win me in, But I am borne down by deadly sin.’ X She’s cover’d them o’er wi’ a marble stane, Thinking she wad gang maiden hame. XI She lookit out owre her castle wa’ And saw twa naked boys play at the ba’. XII ‘O bonny boys, gin ye were mine I wad cleed[201] you in silk and sabelline[202]. XIII ‘O I would dress you in the silk, And wash you ay in morning milk.’-- XIV ‘O mother dear, when we were thine, You didna prove to us sae kind. XV ‘O cruel mother, we were thine And thou made us to wear the twine[203]. XVI ‘But now we’re in the heavens hie, _Fine flowers in the valley_ And ye have the pains o’ hell to drie’-- _And the green leaves they grow rarely;_ _Ten thousand times good night and be wi’ thee!_ FOOTNOTES: [200] twinn’d = robbed, deprived. [201] cleed = clothe. [202] sabelline = sable. [203] twine = twine-cloth, shroud. _23. Binnorie_ I There were twa sisters sat in a bour; _Binnorie, O Binnorie!_ There cam a knight to be their wooer, _By the bonnie milldams o’ Binnorie._ II He courted the eldest with glove and ring, But he lo’ed the youngest abune a’ thing. III The eldest she was vexèd sair, And sair envìed her sister fair. IV Upon a morning fair and clear, She cried upon her sister dear: V ‘O sister, sister, tak my hand, And we’ll see our father’s ships to land.’ VI She’s ta’en her by the lily hand, And led her down to the river-strand. VII The youngest stood upon a stane, The eldest cam and push’d her in. VIII ‘O sister, sister, reach your hand! And ye sall be heir o’ half my land: IX ‘O sister, reach me but your glove! And sweet William sall be your love.’-- X ‘Foul fa’ the hand that I should take; It twin’d[204] me o’ my warldis make[205]. XI ‘Your cherry cheeks and your yellow hair Gar’d me gang maiden evermair.’ XII