A Bundle of Ballads Part 24

"My bones are buried in a kirkyard Afar beyond the sea, And it is but my sprite, Margret, That's speaking now to thee."

She stretch-ed out her lily-white hand, As for to do her best: "Hae there your faith and troth, Willie, G.o.d send your soul good rest!"

Now she has kilted her robes of green, A piece below her knee: And a' the live-lang winter night The dead corpse followed she.

"Is there any room at your head, Willie?

Or any room at your feet?

Or any room at your side, Willie, Wherein that I may creep?"

"There's nae room at my head, Margret, There's nae room at my feet, There's nae room at my side, Margret, My coffin is made so meet."

Then up and crew the red red c.o.c.k, And up then crew the gray: "'Tis time, 'tis time, my dear Margret, That I were gane away."

No more the ghost to Margret said, But, with a grievous groan, Evanished in a cloud of mist, And left her all alone.

"O stay, my only true love, stay!"

The constant Margret cried: Wan grew her cheeks, she closed her een, Stretched her saft limbs, and died.

THE BRAES O' YARROW.

Ten lords sat drinking at the wine, Intill a morning early; There fell a combat them among, It must be fought,--nae parly.

--"O stay at hame, my ain gude lord, O stay, my ain dear marrow."-- "Sweetest mine, I will be thine, And dine wi' you to-morrow."

She's kissed his lips, and combed his hair, As she had done before, O; Gied him a brand down by his side, And he is on to Yarrow.

As he gaed ower yon dowie knowe, As aft he'd dune before, O; Nine arm-ed men lay in a den, Upo' the braes o' Yarrow.

"O came ye here to hunt or hawk, As ye hae done before, O?

Or came ye here to wiel' your brand, Upo' the braes o' Yarrow."--

"I came nae here to hunt nor hawk, As I hae dune before, O; But I came here to wiel' my brand, Upon the braes o' Yarrow."--

Four he hurt, and five he slew, Till down he fell himsell, O; There stood a fause lord him behin', Who thrust him thro' body and mell, O.

"Gae hame, gae hame, my brother John, And tell your sister sorrow; Your mother to come take up her son, Aff o' the braes o' Yarrow."

As he gaed ower yon high, high hill, As he had dune before, O; There he met his sister dear, Came rinnin' fast to Yarrow.

"I dreamt a dream last night," she says, "I wish it binna sorrow; I dreamt I was pu'ing the heather green, Upo' the braes o' Yarrow."--

"I'll read your dream, sister," he says, "I'll read it into sorrow; Ye're bidden gae take up your love, He's sleeping sound on Yarrow."

She's torn the ribbons frae her head, They were baith thick and narrow; She's kilted up her green claithing, And she's awa' to Yarrow.

She's taen him in her arms twa, And gien him kisses thorough, And wi' her tears she bathed his wounds, Upo' the braes o' Yarrow.

Her father looking ower his castle wa', Beheld his daughter's sorrow; "O haud yer tongue, daughter," he says, "And let be a' your sorrow; I'll wed you wi' a better lord, Than he that died on Yarrow."--

"O haud your tongue, father," she says, "And let be till to-morrow; A better lord there coudna be Than he that died on Yarrow."

She kissed his lips, and combed his hair, As she had dune before, O; Then wi' a crack her heart did brack Upon the braes o' Yarrow.

KEMP OWYNE.

Her mother died when she was young, Which gave her cause to make great moan; Her father married the warst woman That ever lived in Christendom.

She serv-ed her with foot and hand, In every thing that she could dee; Till once in an unlucky time, She threw her in ower Craigy's sea.

Says, "Lie you there, dove Isabel, And all my sorrows lie with thee; Till Kemp Owyne come ower the sea, And borrow you with kisses three, Let all the warld do what they will, Oh! borrowed shall you never be."

Her breath grew strang, her hair grew lang, And twisted thrice about the tree; And all the people far and near, Thought that a savage beast was she; These news did come to Kemp Owyne, Where he lived far beyond the sea.

He hasted him to Craigy's sea, And on the savage beast looked he; Her breath was strang, her hair was lang, And twisted was about the tree; And with a swing she came about, "Come to Craigy's sea and kiss with me.

"Here is a royal belt," she cried, "That I have found in the green sea; And while your body it is on, Drawn shall your blood never be; But if you touch me tail or fin, I vow my belt your death shall be."

He stepp-ed in, gave her a kiss, The royal belt he brought him wi'

Her breath was strang, her hair was lang, And twisted twice about the tree; And with a swing she came about, "Come to Craigy's sea and kiss with me.

"Here is a royal ring," she said, "That I have found in the green sea; And while your finger it is on, Drawn shall your blood never be; But if you touch me tail or fin, I swear my ring your death shall be."

He stepp-ed in, gave her a kiss, The royal ring he brought him wi'; Her breath was strang, her hair was lang, And twisted ance about the tree; And with a swing she came about, "Come to Craigy's sea and kiss with me.

"Here is a royal brand," she said, "That I have found in the green sea; And while your body it is on, Drawn shall your blood never be; But if you touch me tail or fin, I swear my brand your death shall be."

He stepp-ed in, gave her a kiss, The royal brand he brought him wi'; Her breath was sweet, her hair grew short, And twisted nane about the tree: And smilingly she came about, As fair a woman, as fair could be.

O'ER THE WATER TO CHARLIE.

As I came by the sh.o.r.e o' Forth, And in by the craigs o' Bernie; There I spied a s.h.i.+p on the sea, And the skipper o' her was Charlie.

O'er the water, and o'er the sea, O'er the water to Charlie; I'll gie John Ross another bawbie, To boat me o'er to Charlie.

Charlie keeps nae needles nor pins, And Charlie keeps nae trappin'; But Charlie keeps twa bonnie black een, Would haud the la.s.ses waukin'.

O'er the water, and o'er the sea, O'er the water to Charlie; I'll gie John Ross another bawbie, To boat me o'er to Charlie.

O Charlie is neither laird nor lord, Nor Charlie is a caddie; But Charlie has twa bonnie red cheeks, And he's my juggler laddie.