FOOTNOTES:

Buchan's MSS, I, 66.

1'Learn, O learn, Fair Annie,' he said,'O learn to lie your lane;For I am going ower the sea,To woo and to bring hame2'A brighter and a fairer dameThan ever ye hae been;For I am going ower the sea,To chuse and bring her hame.'3'What aileth thee, my ain gude lord,What aileth thee at me?For seven braw sons hae I bornUnto your fair bodie.4'The eldest o your sons, my lord,Is heir o a' your land;The second o your braw young sonsHe rises at your right hand.5'The third o your braw young sonsHe serves you when you dine;The fourth o your braw sons, my lord,He brings to you the wine.6'The fifth o your braw young sonsRight well can use the pen;The sixth o your braw young sons,He's travelling but and ben.7'The seventh o your braw young sons,He lies on my breast-bane,The fairest flower amo them a',That lay my sides between.'8'But I am going ower the sea,To woo and to bring hameA lady wi some gowd and gear;Wi you I never got nane.'9'Ye staw me awa in twall years auld,Ye sought nae gowd wi me;Ye put me to the schools o AyrFor fully years three.10'But wha'll be cook in your kitchen,And butler in your ha?And wha will govern your merry young men,When ye are far awa?'11'O ye'll be cook in my kitchen,And butler in my ha,And ye'll wait on my merry young men,And serve them ane and a'.'12'But wha will bake your bridal bread,And wha will brew your ale?And wha will welcome that ladyThat ye bring ower the dale?13'O ye will bake my bridal bread,And ye will brew my ale,And ye will welcome that ladyThat I bring ower the dale.14'Ye'll bake bread, and ye'll brew ale,For three score knights and ten;That day month I gang awa,The same day I'll come again.'15'O I will bake your bridal bread,And I will brew your ale;But oh, to welcome another womanMy heart will nae be hale.'16'Ye will put roses in your hair,And ribbons in your sheen,And ye will look fair maiden like,Though maiden ye be nane.'17'O I'll put roses in my hair,And ribbons in my sheen,And may be look as maiden-likeAs the bride ye bring hame.'18Two of his sons he sent before,And two rade by his side,And three he left at hame wi her,She was the brightest bride.19As she was gazing her around,To view the rural plain,And there she saw the bridal folk,Merrily coming hame.20'Come here, come here, my boys a',Ye see not what I see;For here I see your fair father,And a step-mother to thee.21'O shall I call him honey, Sandy,Husband, or my gude lord?Or shall I call him my gude master,Let well or woe betide?'22'Ye winna call him honey, mother,For angering o the bride;But ye'll call him your gude master,Let well or woe betide.'23She buskd her bonny boys in black,Herself in simple green,A kaim o gowd upon her hair,As maiden she had been.24She's taen the white bread in her lap,The wine glass in her hand,And she's gane out upo the green,To welcome the bride hame.25She woudna ca him her ain gude lord,For angering o the bride:'Ye're welcome hame, my gude master,Your lands lie braid and wide.'26'O fair mat fa you, Fair Annie,Sae well's ye've welcomd me;Ye might hae welcomd my new bride;Some gift to you she'll gie.'27'Ye're welcome hame, ye new-come bride,To your ha's and your bowers;Ye're welcome hame, my lady gay,Ye're whiter than the flowers.'28'O wha is this,' the bride did say,'Sae well that welcomes me?If I'm lang lady o this placeSome gift to her I'll gie.29'She's likest to my dear sisterThat eer my eyes did see;A landit lord staw her awa,An ill death mat he die!30'I hae a brother here this day,Fairer ye neer did see;And I woud think nae ill a matchUnto this fair ladie.'31'Ye'll wed your brother on a stock,Sae do ye on a stane;I'll wed me to the kingdom of heaven,For I'll neer wed a man.'32She servd the footmen o the beer,The nobles o the wine;But nane did cross her pale, pale lips,For changing o her min.33When she came in unto the roomShe leuch amo them a',But when she turnd her back aboutShe loot the saut tears fa.34She hanged up a silken cloathUpon a siller pin;It was to dry her twa blue eyes,As she went out and in.35Her heart wi sorrow sair was filld,Her breast wi milk ran out;She aft went to a quiet chamber,And let her young son suck.36'There is a woman in this houseThis day has served me;But I'll rise up, let her sit down,She's ate, that I may see.37'O wha is this,' the bride coud say,'That serves this day sae well?And what means a' this bonny boys,That follow at her heel?'38'This is my sister, Fair Annie,That serves this day sae well,And these are a' her bauld brothers,That follow at her heel.'39Then out it speaks the new-come bride,Was full o jealousie:'I fear there's something new, my lord,Ye mean to hide frae me.40'But if she be your light lemanHas me sae sair beguild,She shall gae out at my window,And range the woods sae wild.'41When day was dane, and night drew on,And a' man bound for bed,The bridegroom and the new-come brideIn ae chamber were laid.42The lady being left alone,Nursing her fair young son,She has taen up her gude lord's harp,She harped and she sung.43'Seven braw sons hae I bornTo the lord o this place;I wish they were seven haresTo run the castle race,And I mysel a gude greyhound,To gie them a' a chace.'44'Lie near, lie near, my ain gude lord,Lie near and speak wi me;There is a woman in the house,She will be wild ere day.'45'Lie still, lie still, my new-come bride,Lie still and take your rest;The pale's out o my wine-puncheon,And lang it winna rest.'46She held the harp still in her hand,To harp them baith asleep,And aye she harped and she sang,And saut tears she did weep.47'Seven braw sons hae I bornTo the gude lord o this ha;I wish that they were seven brown rats,To climb the castle wa,And I mysel a gude grey cat,To take them ane and a'.'48'Lie near, lie near, my ain gude lord,Lie near and speak wi me;There is a woman in this house,She will be wild ere day.'49'Lie yond, lie yond, my new-come bride,My sheets are wonderous cauld;I woudna hear my love's lamentFor your gowd ten thousand fauld.'50'O wae be to you, ye fause lord,Some ill death mat ye die!For that's the voice o my sister Ann,Was stown frae yont the sea.'51'Fair mat fa ye, ye buirdly bride,A gude death mat ye die!For that's the voice o your sister Ann,Was stown frae yont the sea;I came seeking Annie's tocher,I was not seeking thee.'52'Seven gude ships I hae brought here,In seven I'se gae hame;And a' the gowd that I brought here,It's a' gang back again.'53'Seven ships they brought you here,But ye'll gang hame in ane;Ye'll leave the rest to tocher Ann,For wi her I got nane.'54'Seven ships they brought me here,But I'll gang hame in ane;I'll get my sister's eldest sonTo hae me maiden hame.55'My father wants not gowd nor gear,He will get me a man;And happy, happy will he beTo hear o his daughter Ann.56'I hae my sheen upon my feet,My gloves upon my hand,And ye'll come to your bed, Annie,For I've dane you nae wrang.'

1'Learn, O learn, Fair Annie,' he said,'O learn to lie your lane;For I am going ower the sea,To woo and to bring hame

2'A brighter and a fairer dameThan ever ye hae been;For I am going ower the sea,To chuse and bring her hame.'

3'What aileth thee, my ain gude lord,What aileth thee at me?For seven braw sons hae I bornUnto your fair bodie.

4'The eldest o your sons, my lord,Is heir o a' your land;The second o your braw young sonsHe rises at your right hand.

5'The third o your braw young sonsHe serves you when you dine;The fourth o your braw sons, my lord,He brings to you the wine.

6'The fifth o your braw young sonsRight well can use the pen;The sixth o your braw young sons,He's travelling but and ben.

7'The seventh o your braw young sons,He lies on my breast-bane,The fairest flower amo them a',That lay my sides between.'

8'But I am going ower the sea,To woo and to bring hameA lady wi some gowd and gear;Wi you I never got nane.'

9'Ye staw me awa in twall years auld,Ye sought nae gowd wi me;Ye put me to the schools o AyrFor fully years three.

10'But wha'll be cook in your kitchen,And butler in your ha?And wha will govern your merry young men,When ye are far awa?'

11'O ye'll be cook in my kitchen,And butler in my ha,And ye'll wait on my merry young men,And serve them ane and a'.'

12'But wha will bake your bridal bread,And wha will brew your ale?And wha will welcome that ladyThat ye bring ower the dale?

13'O ye will bake my bridal bread,And ye will brew my ale,And ye will welcome that ladyThat I bring ower the dale.

14'Ye'll bake bread, and ye'll brew ale,For three score knights and ten;That day month I gang awa,The same day I'll come again.'

15'O I will bake your bridal bread,And I will brew your ale;But oh, to welcome another womanMy heart will nae be hale.'

16'Ye will put roses in your hair,And ribbons in your sheen,And ye will look fair maiden like,Though maiden ye be nane.'

17'O I'll put roses in my hair,And ribbons in my sheen,And may be look as maiden-likeAs the bride ye bring hame.'

18Two of his sons he sent before,And two rade by his side,And three he left at hame wi her,She was the brightest bride.

19As she was gazing her around,To view the rural plain,And there she saw the bridal folk,Merrily coming hame.

20'Come here, come here, my boys a',Ye see not what I see;For here I see your fair father,And a step-mother to thee.

21'O shall I call him honey, Sandy,Husband, or my gude lord?Or shall I call him my gude master,Let well or woe betide?'

22'Ye winna call him honey, mother,For angering o the bride;But ye'll call him your gude master,Let well or woe betide.'

23She buskd her bonny boys in black,Herself in simple green,A kaim o gowd upon her hair,As maiden she had been.

24She's taen the white bread in her lap,The wine glass in her hand,And she's gane out upo the green,To welcome the bride hame.

25She woudna ca him her ain gude lord,For angering o the bride:'Ye're welcome hame, my gude master,Your lands lie braid and wide.'

26'O fair mat fa you, Fair Annie,Sae well's ye've welcomd me;Ye might hae welcomd my new bride;Some gift to you she'll gie.'

27'Ye're welcome hame, ye new-come bride,To your ha's and your bowers;Ye're welcome hame, my lady gay,Ye're whiter than the flowers.'

28'O wha is this,' the bride did say,'Sae well that welcomes me?If I'm lang lady o this placeSome gift to her I'll gie.

29'She's likest to my dear sisterThat eer my eyes did see;A landit lord staw her awa,An ill death mat he die!

30'I hae a brother here this day,Fairer ye neer did see;And I woud think nae ill a matchUnto this fair ladie.'

31'Ye'll wed your brother on a stock,Sae do ye on a stane;I'll wed me to the kingdom of heaven,For I'll neer wed a man.'

32She servd the footmen o the beer,The nobles o the wine;But nane did cross her pale, pale lips,For changing o her min.

33When she came in unto the roomShe leuch amo them a',But when she turnd her back aboutShe loot the saut tears fa.

34She hanged up a silken cloathUpon a siller pin;It was to dry her twa blue eyes,As she went out and in.

35Her heart wi sorrow sair was filld,Her breast wi milk ran out;She aft went to a quiet chamber,And let her young son suck.

36'There is a woman in this houseThis day has served me;But I'll rise up, let her sit down,She's ate, that I may see.

37'O wha is this,' the bride coud say,'That serves this day sae well?And what means a' this bonny boys,That follow at her heel?'

38'This is my sister, Fair Annie,That serves this day sae well,And these are a' her bauld brothers,That follow at her heel.'

39Then out it speaks the new-come bride,Was full o jealousie:'I fear there's something new, my lord,Ye mean to hide frae me.

40'But if she be your light lemanHas me sae sair beguild,She shall gae out at my window,And range the woods sae wild.'

41When day was dane, and night drew on,And a' man bound for bed,The bridegroom and the new-come brideIn ae chamber were laid.

42The lady being left alone,Nursing her fair young son,She has taen up her gude lord's harp,She harped and she sung.

43'Seven braw sons hae I bornTo the lord o this place;I wish they were seven haresTo run the castle race,And I mysel a gude greyhound,To gie them a' a chace.'

44'Lie near, lie near, my ain gude lord,Lie near and speak wi me;There is a woman in the house,She will be wild ere day.'

45'Lie still, lie still, my new-come bride,Lie still and take your rest;The pale's out o my wine-puncheon,And lang it winna rest.'

46She held the harp still in her hand,To harp them baith asleep,And aye she harped and she sang,And saut tears she did weep.

47'Seven braw sons hae I bornTo the gude lord o this ha;I wish that they were seven brown rats,To climb the castle wa,And I mysel a gude grey cat,To take them ane and a'.'

48'Lie near, lie near, my ain gude lord,Lie near and speak wi me;There is a woman in this house,She will be wild ere day.'

49'Lie yond, lie yond, my new-come bride,My sheets are wonderous cauld;I woudna hear my love's lamentFor your gowd ten thousand fauld.'

50'O wae be to you, ye fause lord,Some ill death mat ye die!For that's the voice o my sister Ann,Was stown frae yont the sea.'

51'Fair mat fa ye, ye buirdly bride,A gude death mat ye die!For that's the voice o your sister Ann,Was stown frae yont the sea;I came seeking Annie's tocher,I was not seeking thee.'

52'Seven gude ships I hae brought here,In seven I'se gae hame;And a' the gowd that I brought here,It's a' gang back again.'

53'Seven ships they brought you here,But ye'll gang hame in ane;Ye'll leave the rest to tocher Ann,For wi her I got nane.'

54'Seven ships they brought me here,But I'll gang hame in ane;I'll get my sister's eldest sonTo hae me maiden hame.

55'My father wants not gowd nor gear,He will get me a man;And happy, happy will he beTo hear o his daughter Ann.

56'I hae my sheen upon my feet,My gloves upon my hand,And ye'll come to your bed, Annie,For I've dane you nae wrang.'

'Fair Annie' I took this day from the recitation of Janet Holmes, an old woman in Kilbarchan. It was, as she described it, a "lang rane" of her mother's. July 18, 1825.Motherwell.11. honeyis probably a corruption ofAnnie.54. his wig.193. Imust be understood, I as leal,but does not require to be inserted.204.Possibly not correct.To allwould, no doubt, be an easy reading, but the abrupt exclamation is more like nature.291. Oh.

'Fair Annie' I took this day from the recitation of Janet Holmes, an old woman in Kilbarchan. It was, as she described it, a "lang rane" of her mother's. July 18, 1825.Motherwell.

11. honeyis probably a corruption ofAnnie.

54. his wig.

193. Imust be understood, I as leal,but does not require to be inserted.

204.Possibly not correct.To allwould, no doubt, be an easy reading, but the abrupt exclamation is more like nature.

291. Oh.

112. laugh.143. harpd.201. you hame.

112. laugh.

143. harpd.

201. you hame.

123. Oh.223. Ye wilt.

123. Oh.

223. Ye wilt.

281. sat.452. tirls.41 ff.In one of the Kinloch versions thus:

281. sat.

452. tirls.

41 ff.In one of the Kinloch versions thus:

'King Henry is my father,' she says,'Queen Orris is my mither,And a' the bairns about the houseAre just my sister and brither.''O if ye be ane o thae, Fair Anne,Sure I'm ane o' the same,And come to your gude lord, Anne,And be ye blythe again.'For he never wed me for his love,But for my tocher fee,And I am as free o him this dayAs the bairn on the nurse's knee.'

'King Henry is my father,' she says,'Queen Orris is my mither,And a' the bairns about the houseAre just my sister and brither.'

'O if ye be ane o thae, Fair Anne,Sure I'm ane o' the same,And come to your gude lord, Anne,And be ye blythe again.

'For he never wed me for his love,But for my tocher fee,And I am as free o him this dayAs the bairn on the nurse's knee.'

362. hae served.The following more obvious and entirely superfluous interpolations have been omitted from the text.After 9:

362. hae served.

The following more obvious and entirely superfluous interpolations have been omitted from the text.

After 9:

But ye were feard the Duke of YorkShould come and bide wi me,As he showed kindness and respect,Which greatly grieved thee.

After 18:

But it fell ance upon a day,'T was aye day by it lane,Fair Annie was washing her fingers,Above a marble stane.

After 28:

O he that staw my ae sisterDid leave my bower full bare;I wish a sharp sword at his breast,Cauld iron be his share!He looked ower his right shoulder,A light laugh then gie he;Said, Hear na ye my new-come bride,Sae sair as she brands me?The bride she patted wi her lips,She winked wi her ee,Yet never thought by the words he spake'T was her sister, Annie.

O he that staw my ae sisterDid leave my bower full bare;I wish a sharp sword at his breast,Cauld iron be his share!

He looked ower his right shoulder,A light laugh then gie he;Said, Hear na ye my new-come bride,Sae sair as she brands me?

The bride she patted wi her lips,She winked wi her ee,Yet never thought by the words he spake'T was her sister, Annie.

After 35:

When they had eaten and well drunken,And all had fared fine,The knight he called his butlers all,For to serve out the wine.

After 38:

Then out it speaks an English lord,A smart young lord was he:'O if she be a maiden fair,Wi her I'se wedded be.'The bridegroom gae a laugh at thatAmang his merry young men;Says, There's a hynd chiel in the houseRuns far nearer her mind.

Then out it speaks an English lord,A smart young lord was he:'O if she be a maiden fair,Wi her I'se wedded be.'

The bridegroom gae a laugh at thatAmang his merry young men;Says, There's a hynd chiel in the houseRuns far nearer her mind.

After 53:

O if this be my sister dear,It's welcome news to me;I woud hae gien her thrice as muchHer lovely face to see.

FOOTNOTES:[72]F2 reads, "Bind up your hair, and tie it in your neck," which is deceptive. It was an imperative custom, as is well known, that the married woman should bind up her hair or wear it under a cap, while a maid wore it loose or in a braid; a yard long, like Chaucer's Emily, if she had as much. SeeD3,E3,I5, and Prior's Danish Ballads, II, 180 f.[73]And John Armstrang her eldest brother,C30: so the Scottish king was right when he weened Johnie was a king as well as he.[74]"The tradition which commonly accompanies this tale," says Jamieson, Popular Ballads, II, 83, "says that he was aware of his bride's being the sister of his mistress, and that he had courted her, not with a view of retaining her as his wife, but of securing from her father a portion for Lady Jane, whom he intended to marry:" a canny project adopted into the degenerate and interpolatedJ(st. 53), but rather too sharp practice for an old ballad.[75]The boys are all dressed in scarlet red in DanishE24,F27,H21; so in EnglishE6, but inJ23 in black.[76]And the young bride throws down a half gold-ring,Fair Annie she throws down the other,And a pair of loving sisters were they,And the rings they ran together.SwedishB32.[77]Vorige span, sts 14,15, for which Hoffmann reads voorgespan, meaning a fore-span. A span of horses is as absurd here as possible, but is adopted in the German version, and made to point a gibe at the king. It would seem that the Dutchvoorspan, brooch or clasp, German spange (see Hexham's Dictionary, 1658), must have been for some time obsolete. In Richthofen's Altfriesisches Wörterbuch we find simplyspan, spon: "verstanden ist darunter ein goldener Schmuck den die friesischen Weibervorder Brust trugen." Stanza 15 is interpreted accordingly.[78]"Voorgespan" again.[79]Roquefort, Poésies de Marie de France, I, 138. There is a highly felicitous old English translation, unfortunately somewhat defective: Weber, Metrical Romances, I, 357, Ellis's Specimens, III, 282, what is missing being supplied in each case from the French.[80]For this idea see Grimm's Rechtsalterthümer, p. 456 of the 2d ed., and Deutsche Sagen, 515, 534, 571; the English romance of Octavian, Weber, III, 162, vv 127-132, the French, in Conybeare's abridgment, p. 3, reprint of the Aungervyle Society, p. 23; the volksbuch Kaiser Octavianus, Simrock, II, 244; the Spanish ballad 'Espinelo,' Duran, I, 177, No 323, and again a 16th century ballad of Timoneda, II, 392, No 1346. This last may be the foundation of a broadside in the Pepys collection, I, 40, No 18: "The Lamenting Lady, who, for wrongs done by her to a poor woman for having two children at one burthen, was by the hand of God most strangely punished by sending her as many children at one birth as there are days in the year." But we have the same miracle in Grimm's Deutsche Sagen, No 578. Further, Grundtvig, V, 386, 'Grevens Datter af Vendel,' No 258,E1; Li Reali di Francia, l.II, c. 42, p 180 of the edition of Venice, 1821. (Grundtvig.)[81]'Las dos Hermanas,' Catalan, Castilian, Asturian. Milá, Observaciones, p. 117, No 19,=Briz, II, 159; p. 124, No 24,=Primavera, II, 38, No 130; Briz, II, 161. Milá, Romancerillo, p. 214, No 242,A-E, p. 216, No 242. Amador de los Rios, Historia de la Lit. Esp., VII, 455 f. Portuguese. 'Rainha e Captiva,' Almeida-Garrett, II, 193, No 11, 2d ed.; 'Romance de Branca-Flor,' Braga, Romanceiro Geral, p. 103, No 38; Romanceiro da Madeira, p. 211; Roméro e Braga, Cantos populares do Brazil, I, 41 ff, Nos 22, 23, II, 203. In some of these the queen identifies the captive by overhearing, while she lies in bed, words said or sung by her sister. In Chodzko, Chants de l'Ukraine, p. 88, No 17, the captive sister is replaced by a (Polish) mother in slavery among the Turks.

[72]F2 reads, "Bind up your hair, and tie it in your neck," which is deceptive. It was an imperative custom, as is well known, that the married woman should bind up her hair or wear it under a cap, while a maid wore it loose or in a braid; a yard long, like Chaucer's Emily, if she had as much. SeeD3,E3,I5, and Prior's Danish Ballads, II, 180 f.

[73]And John Armstrang her eldest brother,C30: so the Scottish king was right when he weened Johnie was a king as well as he.

[74]"The tradition which commonly accompanies this tale," says Jamieson, Popular Ballads, II, 83, "says that he was aware of his bride's being the sister of his mistress, and that he had courted her, not with a view of retaining her as his wife, but of securing from her father a portion for Lady Jane, whom he intended to marry:" a canny project adopted into the degenerate and interpolatedJ(st. 53), but rather too sharp practice for an old ballad.

[75]The boys are all dressed in scarlet red in DanishE24,F27,H21; so in EnglishE6, but inJ23 in black.

[76]And the young bride throws down a half gold-ring,Fair Annie she throws down the other,And a pair of loving sisters were they,And the rings they ran together.SwedishB32.

[76]

And the young bride throws down a half gold-ring,Fair Annie she throws down the other,And a pair of loving sisters were they,And the rings they ran together.

SwedishB32.

[77]Vorige span, sts 14,15, for which Hoffmann reads voorgespan, meaning a fore-span. A span of horses is as absurd here as possible, but is adopted in the German version, and made to point a gibe at the king. It would seem that the Dutchvoorspan, brooch or clasp, German spange (see Hexham's Dictionary, 1658), must have been for some time obsolete. In Richthofen's Altfriesisches Wörterbuch we find simplyspan, spon: "verstanden ist darunter ein goldener Schmuck den die friesischen Weibervorder Brust trugen." Stanza 15 is interpreted accordingly.

[78]"Voorgespan" again.

[79]Roquefort, Poésies de Marie de France, I, 138. There is a highly felicitous old English translation, unfortunately somewhat defective: Weber, Metrical Romances, I, 357, Ellis's Specimens, III, 282, what is missing being supplied in each case from the French.

[80]For this idea see Grimm's Rechtsalterthümer, p. 456 of the 2d ed., and Deutsche Sagen, 515, 534, 571; the English romance of Octavian, Weber, III, 162, vv 127-132, the French, in Conybeare's abridgment, p. 3, reprint of the Aungervyle Society, p. 23; the volksbuch Kaiser Octavianus, Simrock, II, 244; the Spanish ballad 'Espinelo,' Duran, I, 177, No 323, and again a 16th century ballad of Timoneda, II, 392, No 1346. This last may be the foundation of a broadside in the Pepys collection, I, 40, No 18: "The Lamenting Lady, who, for wrongs done by her to a poor woman for having two children at one burthen, was by the hand of God most strangely punished by sending her as many children at one birth as there are days in the year." But we have the same miracle in Grimm's Deutsche Sagen, No 578. Further, Grundtvig, V, 386, 'Grevens Datter af Vendel,' No 258,E1; Li Reali di Francia, l.II, c. 42, p 180 of the edition of Venice, 1821. (Grundtvig.)

[81]'Las dos Hermanas,' Catalan, Castilian, Asturian. Milá, Observaciones, p. 117, No 19,=Briz, II, 159; p. 124, No 24,=Primavera, II, 38, No 130; Briz, II, 161. Milá, Romancerillo, p. 214, No 242,A-E, p. 216, No 242. Amador de los Rios, Historia de la Lit. Esp., VII, 455 f. Portuguese. 'Rainha e Captiva,' Almeida-Garrett, II, 193, No 11, 2d ed.; 'Romance de Branca-Flor,' Braga, Romanceiro Geral, p. 103, No 38; Romanceiro da Madeira, p. 211; Roméro e Braga, Cantos populares do Brazil, I, 41 ff, Nos 22, 23, II, 203. In some of these the queen identifies the captive by overhearing, while she lies in bed, words said or sung by her sister. In Chodzko, Chants de l'Ukraine, p. 88, No 17, the captive sister is replaced by a (Polish) mother in slavery among the Turks.

A.'Childe Waters,' Percy MS., p. 274; Hales and Furnival, II, 269.B. a.'Burd Ellen,' Jamieson's Brown MS., fol. 22.b.'Lord John and Bird Ellen,' A. Fraser Tytler's Brown MS., No 9.C.'Lady Margaret,' Kinloch's annotated copy of his Ancient Scottish Ballads, p. 180.D.Kinloch MSS, VII, 325.E.'Fair Margaret,' Harris MS., No 8, p. 12 b.F.Jamieson's Popular Ballads, I, 114, from Mrs Arrot of Arberbrothick.G.'Cruel William,' Buchan's MSS, II, 129.H.'Burd Alone,' Motherwell's MS., p. 277.I.Communicated by Dr Davidson, derived from Old Deer, Aberdeenshire.J.'Burd Helen,' Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, II, 30.

A.'Childe Waters,' Percy MS., p. 274; Hales and Furnival, II, 269.

B. a.'Burd Ellen,' Jamieson's Brown MS., fol. 22.b.'Lord John and Bird Ellen,' A. Fraser Tytler's Brown MS., No 9.

C.'Lady Margaret,' Kinloch's annotated copy of his Ancient Scottish Ballads, p. 180.

D.Kinloch MSS, VII, 325.

E.'Fair Margaret,' Harris MS., No 8, p. 12 b.

F.Jamieson's Popular Ballads, I, 114, from Mrs Arrot of Arberbrothick.

G.'Cruel William,' Buchan's MSS, II, 129.

H.'Burd Alone,' Motherwell's MS., p. 277.

I.Communicated by Dr Davidson, derived from Old Deer, Aberdeenshire.

J.'Burd Helen,' Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, II, 30.

Awas printed in Percy's Reliques, III, 58, ed. 1765, with comparatively few changes.B awas published by Jamieson, from Mrs Brown's manuscript, in his Popular Ballads, I, 113, with some slight variation from the text, many acknowledged interpolations, and the addition of three sentimental stanzas to make Burd Ellen die just as her enduring all things is to be rewarded. In this tragic close, Jamieson was anticipated by Mrs Hampden Pye, in her 'Earl Walter,' 1771, Evans's Old Ballads, II, 208, 1777.Cis given as it appears in Kinloch's annotated copy of his Ancient Scottish Ballads, where ten stanzas are inserted to enlarge and complete the copy published in 1827. This enlarged copy was communicated to Chambers, and seven of the supplementary stanzas were introduced into his compilation, The Scottish Ballads, p. 193. These supplementary stanzas, some of them certainly, andwe may suppose all, belonged to a copy of which only the concluding portion, here given asD, is elsewhere preserved.

The variations in the several versions of this charming ballad, which has perhaps no superior in English, and if not in English perhaps nowhere,[82]are not material, and the story may therefore be given as it runs inA, the oldest copy. Fair Ellen comes to Child Waters, and tells him that her gown, which was too wide, is now too narrow. He bids her be content and take two shires of land; she would rather have one kiss from his mouth than Cheshire and Lancashire both. He must ride far into the North the next day; she asks to be his foot-page. This she may be if she will shorten her gown and clip her locks, so as not to be known for a woman. He rides hard all day, and she keeps up with him barefoot. They come to a broad piece of salt water; he lets her get through as she can, but Our Lady bears up her chin. Then he points out a splendid hall, where are four and twenty ladies, and the fairest is his love and wife. God give both good! is all she says. Arrived there, Ellen takes his horse to the stable. At bed-time he sends her to the town, to bring him the fairest lady that can be found, to sleep in his arms, and to bring this lady inherarms, for filing of her feet. Ellen lies at the foot of the bed, for want of other place, and before dawn is roused by Child Waters to feed his horse. The pains of travail come on her in the stable; Child Waters' mother hears her moans, and bids him get up. He stands at the stable-door and listens. Ellen sings:

Lullaby, dear child, dear!I would thy father were a king,Thy mother laid on a bier!

This moves even his sturdy heart; he tells Ellen to be of good cheer, for the bridal and the churching shall both be on one day.

InB,C,E,G,I,Jthe man relents so far as, when they are in the water, to ask her to ride. She will not,C,E,I; he takes her on at a stone which stands in the middle of the stream,B,G,J. The stream is Clyde inB,C,E,G,J; the Tay inI. InC,E,F,Hhe tells her after they have passed the water, that it is three and thirty miles to his house; a (poetically) superfluous and meddling parrot says it is but three. InC,Ghe tells her that she will have a serving-man for a husband, and inHthat he has already wife and bairns.

One stroke inA, the sending of Ellen to fetch a woman from the town, is wanting in the other versions, decidedly to their advantage. This exaggeration of insult, submitting to which only degrades the woman, is paralleled, though not quite reached, by the paramour in the forest in the otherwise exquisitely refined tale of The Nut-Brown Maid. As for the ballad, the disagreeable passage may be an insertion of some unlucky singer, and the perfect truth to nature and remarkably high taste of The Nut-Brown Maid, in every other particular, would almost drive us to assume an interpolation in this case too.

E1, 2, 16,F2, 3 show contact with the ballad of 'Lizzie Lindsay;' the passing of the water, particularly inE8-12, with'The Knight and Shepherd's Daughter;' and again,H21.

An exceedingly popular Scandinavian ballad is manifestly of the same source, though the story is told in a very different way, the cruel trials to which the woman's love is put being entirely lacking:Danish, 'Jomfru og Stalddreng,' Grundtvig, V, 171, No 267,A-A.Swedish,A, 'Liten Kerstin Stalldräng,' Afzelius, II, 15, No 33;B, 'Stolts Botelid Stalldräng,' Afzelius, II, 20, No 34;C-E, 'Liten Kerstin Stalldräng,' Arwidsson, II, 179, No 109, Hofberg's Nerikes gamla Minnen, p. 254, Öberg in Aminson,I, 28;F-I, from Cavallius and Stephens's manuscript collection, Grundtvig, V, 217 f;J, 'Liten Kerstin och Dane-Peter,' Wigström, Folkdiktning,I, 66, No 32.Norwegian,A, 'Liti Kersti som stalldreng,' Landstad, p. 605, No 78;B-E, Grundtvig, V, 218-20;F, Landstad, p. 605, note. (Several of these are only a verse or two.) DanishA-Fare from manuscripts of the sixteenth or seventeenth century;Gwas printed at the end of the seventeenth; the other copies are from recent tradition, but nevertheless point to a higher antiquity than those which were taken down earlier. There is naturally much variation in details among so many copies, and it will be sufficient to indicate the general character of the story. A young woman, who may be called Kirstin, clips her hair and puts on man's clothes, seeks service at court, and is taken as stable-boy, at the instance of a man (often the king's son, or of other high rank) who may be called Peter, with whom she, in some copies, seems to have had a previous connection. Peter, as an accommodation, lets the stable-boy sleep with him. In the course of time Kirstin cannot do duty any more, cannot buckle on spurs, is ill and requires woman's assistance, which the queen renders. She gives birth to twins in the stable (among the horses' legs, as in English,B 30,J 30). A merry wedding follows.[83]

Another Scandinavian ballad has a limited resemblance to 'Child Waters:'Danish, 'Den trofaste Jomfru,' Grundtvig, IV, 494, No 249,A-I; 'Den fredløse,' Kristensen, II, 191, No 57 (A-C),J-L.Swedish,A, 'De Sju Gullbergen,' Afzelius, III, 71, No 79;B,C, from Cavallius and Stephens's collection, Grundtvig, IV, 507f.Norwegian,A, 'Herre Per og stolt Margit,' Landstad, p. 590, No 74;B, Herr' Nikelus, Landstad, p. 594, No 75. The ballad begins like Danish 'Ribold og Guldborg' and 'Kvindemorderen.' A knight carries off a maid, making her fine promises, among which gold castles commonly figure. He takes her over a very wide piece of water, an arm of the sea, on his horse in most versions; in DanishB,Kthey swim it. When they come to land, she asks Where are the promised castles? DanishC,D,J,K,L, NorwegianA,B. He tells her that he is a penniless outlaw (wanting in SwedishA,C); she offers the gold she has brought with her to buy him his peace (wanting in SwedishA,C, NorwegianB). He tells her he has another love; she is willing to be their servant (wanting in DanishA,B,C,I, NorwegianB). Here he ceases his trial of her; he is a royal, or very opulent, person, she is to have a troop of servants, the castles are not in the air, and all ends happily.

Percy's edition ofAis translated (freely) by Bürger, 'Graf Walter,' and Bürger's version is revised, to bring it slightly nearer the original, by Bothe, Volkslieder, p. 199. Percy is translated by Bodmer, I, 41.Iis translated by Gerhard, p. 117, and Aytoun's compilation, I, 239, by Knortz, Schottische Balladen, p. 11. The Danish ballad is translated by Prior, III, 25, after Danske Viser, IV, 116, Syv, Fourth Part, No 31, Grundtvig'sG c.

Percy MS., p. 274; Hales and Furnivall, II, 269.

1Childe Watters in his stable stoode,And stroaket his milke-white steede;To him came a ffaire young ladyeAs ere did weare womans wee[de].2Saies, Christ you saue, good Chyld Waters!Sayes, Christ you saue and see!My girdle of gold,which was too longe,Is now to short ffor mee.3'And all is with one chyld of yours,I ffeele sturre att my side;My gowne of greene, it is to strayght;Before it was to wide.'4'If the child be mine, Faire Ellen,' he sayd,'Be mine, as you tell mee,Take you Cheshire and Lancashire both,Take them your owne to bee.5'If the child be mine, Ffaire Ellen,' he said,'Be mine, as you doe sweare,Take you Cheshire and Lancashire both,And makethat child your heyre.'6Shee saies, I had rather haue one kisse,Child Waters, of thy mouth,Then I wold haue Cheshire and Lancashire both,That lyes by north and south.7'And I had rather haue a twinkling,Child Waters, of your eye,Then I wold haue Cheshire and Lancashire both,To take them mine oune to bee.'8'To-morrow, Ellen, I must forth rydeSoe ffarr into the north countrye;The ffairest ladythat I can ffind,Ellen, must goe with mee.''And euer I pray you, Child Watters,Your ffootpage let me bee!'9'If you will my ffootpage be, Ellen,As you doe tell itt mee,Then you must cutt your gownne of greeneAn inche aboue your knee.10'Soe must you doe your yellow lockes,Another inch aboue your eye;You must tell noe man what is my name;My ffootpage then you shall bee.'11All this long day Child Waters rode,Shee ran bare ffoote by his side;Yett was he neuersoe curteous a knightTo say, Ellen, will you ryde?12But all this day Child Waters rode,Shee ran barffoote thorow the broome;Yett he was neuersoe curteous a knightAs to say, Put on your shoone.13'Ride softlye,' shee said, 'Child Watters;Why doe you ryde soe ffast?The child which is no mans but yoursMy bodye itt will burst.'14He sayes, Sees thou yonder water, Ellen,That fflowes from banke to brim?'I trust to god, Child Waters,' shee said,'You will neuer see mee swime.'15But when shee came to the waters side,Shee sayled to the chinne:'Except the lordof heauen be my speed,Now must I learne to swime.'16The salt waters bare vp Ellens clothes,Our Ladye bare vpp he[r] chinne,And Child Waters was a woe man, good Lord,To ssee Faire Ellen swime.17And when shee ouer the water was,Shee then came to his knee:He said, Come hither, Ffaire Ellen,Loe yonder what I see!18'Seest thou not yonder hall, Ellen?Of redd gold shine the yates;There's four and twenty ffayre ladyes,The ffairest is my wordlye make.19'Seest thou not yonder hall, Ellen?Of redd gold shineth the tower;There is four and twenty ffaire ladyes,The fairest is my paramoure.'20'I doe see the hall now, Child Waters,That of redd gold shineth the yates;God giue good then of your selfe,And of your wordlye make!21'I doe see the hall now, Child Waters,That of redd gold shineth the tower;God giue good then of your selfe,And of your paramoure!'22There were four and twenty ladyes,Were playing att the ball,And Ellen, was the ffairest ladye,Must bring his steed to the stall.23There were four and twenty faire ladyesWas playing att the chesse;And Ellen, shee was the ffairest ladye,Must bring his horsse to grasse.24And then bespake Child Waters sister,And these were the words said shee:You haue the prettyest ffootpage, brother,That euer I saw with mine eye;25'Butthat his belly it is soe bigg,His girdle goes wonderous hye;And euerI pray you, Child Waters,Let him goe into the chamber with mee.'26'It is more meete for a little ffootpage,That has run through mosse and mire,To take his supper vpon his kneeAnd sitt downe by the kitchin fyer,Then to goe into the chamber with any ladyeThat weares soe [rich] attyre.'27But when thé had supped euery one,To bedd they took the way;He sayd, Come hither, my little footpage,Harken what I doe say.28And goe thee downe into yonder towne,And low into the street;The ffairest ladyethatthou can find,Hyer her in mine armes to sleepe,And take her vp in thine armes two,For filinge of her ffeete.29Ellen is gone into the towne,And low into the streete;The fairest ladyethat shee cold findShee hyred in his armes to sleepe,And tooke her in her armes two,For filing of her ffeete.30'I pray you now, good Child Waters,ThatI may creepe in att your bedds feete;For there is noe place about this houseWhere I may say a sleepe.'31This [night] and itt droue on affterwardTill itt was neere the day:He sayd, Rise vp, my litle ffoote-page,And giue my steed corne and hay;And soe doe thou the good blacke oates,That he may carry me the better away.32And vp then rose Ffaire Ellen,And gaue his steed corne and hay,And soe shee did and the good blacke oates,That he might carry him the better away.33Shee layned her backe to the manger side,And greiuouslye did groane;Andthat beheard his mother deere,And heard her make her moane.34Shee said, Rise vp, thou Child Waters,I thinke thou art a cursed man;For yonder is a ghost in thy stable,That greiuouslye doth groane,Or else some woman laboures of child,Shee is soe woe begone.35But vp then rose Child Waters,And did on his shirt of silke;Then he put on his other clothesOn his body as white as milke.36And when he came to the stable-dore,Full stillthat hee did stand,That hee might heare now Faire Ellen,How shee made her monand.37Shee said, Lullabye, my owne deere child!Lullabye, deere child, deere!I wold thy father were a king,Thy mother layd on a beere!38'Peace now,' he said, 'good Faire Ellen,And be of good cheere, I thee pray,And the bridall and the churching both,They shall bee vpon one day.'

1Childe Watters in his stable stoode,And stroaket his milke-white steede;To him came a ffaire young ladyeAs ere did weare womans wee[de].

2Saies, Christ you saue, good Chyld Waters!Sayes, Christ you saue and see!My girdle of gold,which was too longe,Is now to short ffor mee.

3'And all is with one chyld of yours,I ffeele sturre att my side;My gowne of greene, it is to strayght;Before it was to wide.'

4'If the child be mine, Faire Ellen,' he sayd,'Be mine, as you tell mee,Take you Cheshire and Lancashire both,Take them your owne to bee.

5'If the child be mine, Ffaire Ellen,' he said,'Be mine, as you doe sweare,Take you Cheshire and Lancashire both,And makethat child your heyre.'

6Shee saies, I had rather haue one kisse,Child Waters, of thy mouth,Then I wold haue Cheshire and Lancashire both,That lyes by north and south.

7'And I had rather haue a twinkling,Child Waters, of your eye,Then I wold haue Cheshire and Lancashire both,To take them mine oune to bee.'

8'To-morrow, Ellen, I must forth rydeSoe ffarr into the north countrye;The ffairest ladythat I can ffind,Ellen, must goe with mee.''And euer I pray you, Child Watters,Your ffootpage let me bee!'

9'If you will my ffootpage be, Ellen,As you doe tell itt mee,Then you must cutt your gownne of greeneAn inche aboue your knee.

10'Soe must you doe your yellow lockes,Another inch aboue your eye;You must tell noe man what is my name;My ffootpage then you shall bee.'

11All this long day Child Waters rode,Shee ran bare ffoote by his side;Yett was he neuersoe curteous a knightTo say, Ellen, will you ryde?

12But all this day Child Waters rode,Shee ran barffoote thorow the broome;Yett he was neuersoe curteous a knightAs to say, Put on your shoone.

13'Ride softlye,' shee said, 'Child Watters;Why doe you ryde soe ffast?The child which is no mans but yoursMy bodye itt will burst.'

14He sayes, Sees thou yonder water, Ellen,That fflowes from banke to brim?'I trust to god, Child Waters,' shee said,'You will neuer see mee swime.'

15But when shee came to the waters side,Shee sayled to the chinne:'Except the lordof heauen be my speed,Now must I learne to swime.'

16The salt waters bare vp Ellens clothes,Our Ladye bare vpp he[r] chinne,And Child Waters was a woe man, good Lord,To ssee Faire Ellen swime.

17And when shee ouer the water was,Shee then came to his knee:He said, Come hither, Ffaire Ellen,Loe yonder what I see!

18'Seest thou not yonder hall, Ellen?Of redd gold shine the yates;There's four and twenty ffayre ladyes,The ffairest is my wordlye make.

19'Seest thou not yonder hall, Ellen?Of redd gold shineth the tower;There is four and twenty ffaire ladyes,The fairest is my paramoure.'

20'I doe see the hall now, Child Waters,That of redd gold shineth the yates;God giue good then of your selfe,And of your wordlye make!

21'I doe see the hall now, Child Waters,That of redd gold shineth the tower;God giue good then of your selfe,And of your paramoure!'

22There were four and twenty ladyes,Were playing att the ball,And Ellen, was the ffairest ladye,Must bring his steed to the stall.

23There were four and twenty faire ladyesWas playing att the chesse;And Ellen, shee was the ffairest ladye,Must bring his horsse to grasse.

24And then bespake Child Waters sister,And these were the words said shee:You haue the prettyest ffootpage, brother,That euer I saw with mine eye;

25'Butthat his belly it is soe bigg,His girdle goes wonderous hye;And euerI pray you, Child Waters,Let him goe into the chamber with mee.'

26'It is more meete for a little ffootpage,That has run through mosse and mire,To take his supper vpon his kneeAnd sitt downe by the kitchin fyer,Then to goe into the chamber with any ladyeThat weares soe [rich] attyre.'

27But when thé had supped euery one,To bedd they took the way;He sayd, Come hither, my little footpage,Harken what I doe say.

28And goe thee downe into yonder towne,And low into the street;The ffairest ladyethatthou can find,Hyer her in mine armes to sleepe,And take her vp in thine armes two,For filinge of her ffeete.

29Ellen is gone into the towne,And low into the streete;The fairest ladyethat shee cold findShee hyred in his armes to sleepe,And tooke her in her armes two,For filing of her ffeete.

30'I pray you now, good Child Waters,ThatI may creepe in att your bedds feete;For there is noe place about this houseWhere I may say a sleepe.'

31This [night] and itt droue on affterwardTill itt was neere the day:He sayd, Rise vp, my litle ffoote-page,And giue my steed corne and hay;And soe doe thou the good blacke oates,That he may carry me the better away.

32And vp then rose Ffaire Ellen,And gaue his steed corne and hay,And soe shee did and the good blacke oates,That he might carry him the better away.

33Shee layned her backe to the manger side,And greiuouslye did groane;Andthat beheard his mother deere,And heard her make her moane.

34Shee said, Rise vp, thou Child Waters,I thinke thou art a cursed man;For yonder is a ghost in thy stable,That greiuouslye doth groane,Or else some woman laboures of child,Shee is soe woe begone.

35But vp then rose Child Waters,And did on his shirt of silke;Then he put on his other clothesOn his body as white as milke.

36And when he came to the stable-dore,Full stillthat hee did stand,That hee might heare now Faire Ellen,How shee made her monand.

37Shee said, Lullabye, my owne deere child!Lullabye, deere child, deere!I wold thy father were a king,Thy mother layd on a beere!

38'Peace now,' he said, 'good Faire Ellen,And be of good cheere, I thee pray,And the bridall and the churching both,They shall bee vpon one day.'

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