'What will ye say to your father dear When ye gae hame at e'en?' 40 'I'll say ye're lying at yon kirk style, Where the grass grows fair and green. ‘O no, O no, my brother dear, O you must not say so; But say that I'm gane to a foreign land, 45 When he sat in his father's chair 'O what blude's that upon your brow? O dear son, tell to me.' 50 'It is the blude o' my gude gray steed, He wadna ride wi' me.' 'O thy steed's blude was ne'er sae red, Nor e'er sae dear to me: 55 O what blude's this upon your cheek? O dear son, tell to me.' He wadna hunt for me.' 'It is the blude of my greyhound, 'O thy hound's blude was ne'er sae red, Nor e'er sae dear to me : 60 O what blude's this upon your hand? O dear son, tell to me.' 'It is the blude of my gay gosshawk, He wadna flee for me.' 'O thy hawk's blude was ne'er sae red, O what blude's this upon your dirk? 'It is the blude of my ae brother, 'O what will ye say to your father, Dear Willie, tell to me?' 'I'll saddle my steed, and awa' I'll ride To dwell in some far countrie.' 'O when will ye come hame again, Dear Willie, tell to me?' 'When the sun and mune dance on yon green, And that will never be.' She turned hersel' right round about, And her heart burst into three : 'My ae best son is deid and gane, And my tother ane I'll ne'er see.' Anon. 75 80 LXXVII THE TWA SISTERS. There were twa sisters lived in a bouir; Binnorie, O Binnorie; The youngest o' them, oh, she was a flouir! There came a squire frae the west; 5 He lo'ed them baith, but the youngest best; He gied the eldest a gay gowd ring ; But he lo'ed the youngest abune a' thing. He courted the eldest wi' broach and knife; But he lo'ed the youngest as his life. 10 The eldest she was vexèd sair, And it fell once upon a day, 'Oh, sister, come to the sea-strand, She's ta'en her by the milk-white hand, The youngest sat upon a stane; 'Oh, sister, sister, lend me your hand, 'Shame fa' the hand that I should take! 15 20 25 'Sink on, nor hope for hand or glove, 'Oh, father, father, in our mill-dam There's either a mermaid or a milk-white swan.' The miller quickly drew his dam; And there he fand a drowned woman. 40 You couldna see her yellow hair, For gowd and pearls that were sae rare. You couldna see her middle sma', 45 You couldna see her fingers sma', Wi' diamond rings they were covered a'. 'Sair will they be, whae'er they be, The hearts that live to weep for thee!' 50 Then by there cam a harper fine, That harpèd to the king at dine. And, when he looked that lady on, He sighed, and made a heavy moan. He has ta'en three locks o' her yellow hair, 55 And he brought the harp to her father's hall, He laid his harp upon a stone, 'O yonder sits my father, the king! And yonder sits my mother, the queen! 'And yonder stands my brother Hugh, And by him my William sweet and true!' But the last tune that the harp played then, Was, 'Woe to my sister, false Helen!' By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie. A non. 60 65 LXXVIII TO A VIRTUOUS YOUNG LADY. Lady, that in the prime of earliest youth Hast gained thy entrance, Virgin wise and pure. 5 ΙΟ LXXIX EYES AND TEARS. How wisely Nature did decree, 5 ΙΟ |