‘Take home, take home your daughter, madam, She’s never a bit the worse for me; For saving a kiss of her bonny lips Of your daughter’s body I am free.’ XXXVIII He’s ta’en her by the milk-white hand And led her to yon fountain-stone[332]; He’s changed her name from Susie Pye And call’d her his bonny love Lady Joan. FOOTNOTES: [327] stown = stolen. [328] kye = kine, cattle. [329] tirlèd = rattled. [330] won = win, get. [331] dreed = suffered. [332] fountain-stone = font. _46. Childe Waters_ I Childe Waters in his stable stood Stroking his milk-white steed: To him came a fair young lady As ever wore woman’s weed. II Says, ‘Christ you save, Childe Waters!’ Says, ‘Christ you save and see! My girdle of gold, which was too long, Is now too short for me. III ‘And all is with one child of yours I feel stir at my side: My gown of green, it is too strait; Before it was too wide.’-- IV ‘If the child be mine, Burd Ellen,’ he said, ‘Be mine as you do swear, Take you Cheshire and Lancashire both, And make that child your heir.’ V She says, ‘I would rather have one kiss, Childe Waters, of thy mouth Than I would have Cheshire and Lancashire both, That lies by north and south.’-- VI ‘To-morrow, Ellen, I must ride Far into the north countrye.’-- ‘Then I will run low by your side: Your foot-page let me be!’-- VII ‘If you will be my foot-page, Ellen, As you do tell it me, Then you must cut your gown of green An inch above your knee.’ VIII Childe Waters leapt on his milk-white steed, And fast away did ride: Burd Ellen has kilted her gay clothing, And ran low by his side. IX All this long day Childe Waters rode, She barefoot by his side; Yet was he never so courteous a knight As to say, ‘Burd Ellen, ride.’ X He has ridden, and she has run, And barefoot through the broom; Yet was he never so courteous a knight As to say, ‘Put on your shoon.’ XI ‘Ride softly,’ she said, ‘Childe Waters! O why do you ride so fast? The child which is no man’s but yours My body it will brast.’ XII He has ridden on high horseback, And she’s run low beside, Until they came to a wan water-- I think men call it Clyde. XIII Says, ‘See’st yon water, Ellen, That flows from bank to brim?’-- ‘I trust to God, Childe Waters You will never see me swim.’ XIV The firsten step Burd Ellen stept, The water came to her knee; ‘Ochon, alas!’ said Burd Ellen, ‘This water’s o’er deep for me!’ XV The neisten step Burd Ellen stept, The water came to her middle; And sighing said Burd Ellen, ‘I’ve wetted my golden girdle!’ XVI