FOOTNOTES:

After 11:

She's lifted her baby,and kissed cheek and chin,And his ance rosy lips,but nae breath was within.'Fare weel, my sweet baby,ye've left me alane;But I see my death coming,I needna make mane.'They've taen this fair lady,and tied her wi bands,And in her sweet heart's bloodthey've dipped their hands.For Balcanqual and nouricehad vowd her to slae,Because their ill deedsmade Balwearie their fae.Balwearie and his traincam hame weary at een,Nae voice gied them welcome,nae light could be seen.'Open, dear lady,my castle to me:'Nae voice gied an answer,nae voice was to gie.

She's lifted her baby,and kissed cheek and chin,And his ance rosy lips,but nae breath was within.

'Fare weel, my sweet baby,ye've left me alane;But I see my death coming,I needna make mane.'

They've taen this fair lady,and tied her wi bands,And in her sweet heart's bloodthey've dipped their hands.

For Balcanqual and nouricehad vowd her to slae,Because their ill deedsmade Balwearie their fae.

Balwearie and his traincam hame weary at een,Nae voice gied them welcome,nae light could be seen.

'Open, dear lady,my castle to me:'Nae voice gied an answer,nae voice was to gie.

"Lambkin.... 27 stanzas."

After 5: "The nurse said this, and the false Lantin stabbed the baby. He bribed the nurse to make the lady come down and please the child. It told how he stabbed the baby, what kind of knife he had, and how he put it through the baby."

U. b.

Allingham's copy is principally composed of 14 stanzas ofA, 9 ofG, 5 ofQ, 1 ofB. So much of the following stanzas as is in larger type may be regarded as derived, partially or wholly, from the"copy taken down from the mouth of an Irish nurse in the family of a relative of the editor."

6What care I for Lamkin,or any of his gang?I'll keep my doors weel guarded,my windows all pennd in.'7When all the doors were guarded,and all the windows shut,There was still one little window,and that one was forgot.13'And how are we to bring her down?'says the Lamkin:'Pinch the babe in the cradle here,'says the fause nourice to him.18The first step the lady stepped,she stepped on a stane;The last step the lady stepped,there she met Lamkin.19'O mercy, mercy, Lamkin,have mercy upon me!O harm ye not my little son,I pray you let him be.'23Lord Weare he sat in England,a drinking o the wine;He felt his heart fu heavyat this very same time.25He sailed in his bonny shipupon the saut sea-faem;He leapd up on his horseand swiftly he rade hame.27'O whas blude is this,' he says,'that lies in the bower?''It is your lady's heart's blude,where Lamkin he slew her.'

6What care I for Lamkin,or any of his gang?I'll keep my doors weel guarded,my windows all pennd in.'

7When all the doors were guarded,and all the windows shut,There was still one little window,and that one was forgot.

13'And how are we to bring her down?'says the Lamkin:'Pinch the babe in the cradle here,'says the fause nourice to him.

18The first step the lady stepped,she stepped on a stane;The last step the lady stepped,there she met Lamkin.

19'O mercy, mercy, Lamkin,have mercy upon me!O harm ye not my little son,I pray you let him be.'

23Lord Weare he sat in England,a drinking o the wine;He felt his heart fu heavyat this very same time.

25He sailed in his bonny shipupon the saut sea-faem;He leapd up on his horseand swiftly he rade hame.

27'O whas blude is this,' he says,'that lies in the bower?''It is your lady's heart's blude,where Lamkin he slew her.'

FOOTNOTES:[150]Of boiling to death see Ducange, Caldariis decoquere, and other places cited by Robertson, Materials for the History of Thomas Becket, I, xxxii, note, and 128. This was especially a punishment for coiners, and was sanctioned as the penalty for poisoners by a statute of 22 Henry VIII, c. 29, repealed 1 Edward VI.[151]More about the locality in Notes and Queries, First Series, II, 270.[152]"Balcanquel is an ancient Scottish surname, and is sometimes corrupted, for the more agreeable sound, into Beluncan. All reciters agree that Lammikin, or Lambkin, is not the name of the hero, but merely an epithet." Finlay, Scottish Ballads, II. 56.

[150]Of boiling to death see Ducange, Caldariis decoquere, and other places cited by Robertson, Materials for the History of Thomas Becket, I, xxxii, note, and 128. This was especially a punishment for coiners, and was sanctioned as the penalty for poisoners by a statute of 22 Henry VIII, c. 29, repealed 1 Edward VI.

[151]More about the locality in Notes and Queries, First Series, II, 270.

[152]"Balcanquel is an ancient Scottish surname, and is sometimes corrupted, for the more agreeable sound, into Beluncan. All reciters agree that Lammikin, or Lambkin, is not the name of the hero, but merely an epithet." Finlay, Scottish Ballads, II. 56.

Percy's Reliques, 1765, II, 172.

Percy took this ballad "from a copy printed not long since at Glasgow, in one sheet 8vo," and he informs us that the world was indebted for its publication to the Lady Jean Hume, sister to the Earl of Hume. Maidment, Scotish Ballads and Songs, Historical and Traditionary, II, 62, gives the title of the first edition as follows: Young Waters, an Ancient Scotish Poem, never before printed. Glasgow: printed and sold by Robert and Andrew Foulis.MDCCLV.Small 4to, pp. 8. He does not say whether he prints from the original edition. The ballad was repeated in Herd's Ancient and Modern Scots Songs, 1769, p. 238; in Ritson's Scotish Song, 1794, II, 181, with the variation of a word or two; and in Pinkerton's Select Scotish Ballads, 1783, I, 72, with arbitrary changes.

Motherwell, Minstrelsy, Introduction, p. lxviii, note 16, says he had never met with any traditionary version of this ballad. There is a copy in the Skene MSS, p. 23, which in all likelihood was learned by the writer from print. Buchan, who may generally be relied upon to produce a longer ballad than anybody else, has 'Young Waters' in thirty-nine stanzas, "the only complete version which he had ever met." Of this copy I will only say that everything which is not in the edition of 1755 (itself a little the worse for editing) is a counterfeit of the lowest description. Nevertheless it is given in an appendix; for much the same reason that thieves are photographed.

It is possible, and Aytoun, I, 93, thinks highly probable, that this ballad may have been founded on some real event in Scottish history; but Aytoun shows a commendable discretion in his conclusion that, "though various conjectures have been hazarded as to its origin, none appear sufficiently plausible to warrant their adoption," an opinion in which Maidment fully concurs. Chambers, who unhesitatingly accepted Buchan's ballad, did not, in 1829, entertain the least doubt that Young Waters was one of the Scottish nobles executed by James I after his return from his captivity in England, and very probably Walter Stuart, second son of the Duke of Albany: The Scottish Ballads, p. 34. Thirty years later he had no more doubt that the ballad was composed by Lady Wardlaw.

A Scandinavian ballad, historical to the extent that one version has historical names, exhibits the principal incidents of the short story of 'Young Waters.'Danish.'Folke Lovmandsøn og Dronning Helvig,' texts of the 16th century, Grundtvig, III, 691, No 178,A-D.[153]Swedish.A, 'Falkvard Lagermanson,' tradition of this century, Arwidsson, II,62, No 80.B, manuscript of the last century, Grundtvig, III, 697. The king and queen, DanishB, are Magnus I of Sweden and his wife Helvig (died 1290, 1325). Folke Lovmandsøn is in high favor with dames and maids, but especially with the queen, to whose service he is devoted. A little wee page plays the part of the wily lord of 'Young Waters' in exciting the king's jealousy. The innocent young knight is rolled down hill in a tun set with knives.

Translated by Grundtvig, No 7, p. 48; Herder, II, 68; Döring, p. 383; Allingham's copy by Knortz, Lieder und Romanzen Alt-Englands, No 8, p. 33; Buchan's by Gerhard, p. 8.

1About Yule, when the wind blew cule,And the round tables began,A there is cum to our king's courtMony a well-favourd man.2The queen luikt owre the castle-wa,Beheld baith dale and down,And then she saw Young WatersCum riding to the town.3His footmen they did rin before,His horsemen rade behind;Ane mantel of the burning gowdDid keip him frae the wind.4Gowden-graithd his horse before,And siller-shod behind;The horse Young Waters rade uponWas fleeter than the wind.5Out then spake a wylie lord,Unto the queen said he,'O tell me wha's the fairest faceRides in the company?'6'I've sene lord, and I've sene laird,And knights of high degree,But a fairer face than Young WatersMine eyne did never see.'7Out then spack the jealous king,And an angry man was he:'O if he had been twice as fair,You micht have excepted me.'8'You 're neither laird nor lord,' she says,'Bot the king that wears the crown;There is not a knight in fair ScotlandBut to thee maun bow down.'9For a' that she could do or say,Appeasd he wad nae bee,Bot for the words which she had said,Young Waters he maun dee.10They hae taen Young Waters,And put fetters to his feet;They hae taen Young Waters,And thrown him in dungeon deep.11'Aft I have ridden thro Stirling townIn the wind bot and the weit;Bot I neir rade thro Stirling townWi fetters at my feet.12'Aft have I ridden thro Stirling townIn the wind bot and the rain;Bot I neir rade thro Stirling townNeir to return again.'13They hae taen to the heiding-hillHis young son in his craddle,And they hae taen to the heiding-hillHis horse bot and his saddle.14They hae taen to the heiding-hillHis lady fair to see,And for the words the queen had spokeYoung Waters he did dee.

1About Yule, when the wind blew cule,And the round tables began,A there is cum to our king's courtMony a well-favourd man.

2The queen luikt owre the castle-wa,Beheld baith dale and down,And then she saw Young WatersCum riding to the town.

3His footmen they did rin before,His horsemen rade behind;Ane mantel of the burning gowdDid keip him frae the wind.

4Gowden-graithd his horse before,And siller-shod behind;The horse Young Waters rade uponWas fleeter than the wind.

5Out then spake a wylie lord,Unto the queen said he,'O tell me wha's the fairest faceRides in the company?'

6'I've sene lord, and I've sene laird,And knights of high degree,But a fairer face than Young WatersMine eyne did never see.'

7Out then spack the jealous king,And an angry man was he:'O if he had been twice as fair,You micht have excepted me.'

8'You 're neither laird nor lord,' she says,'Bot the king that wears the crown;There is not a knight in fair ScotlandBut to thee maun bow down.'

9For a' that she could do or say,Appeasd he wad nae bee,Bot for the words which she had said,Young Waters he maun dee.

10They hae taen Young Waters,And put fetters to his feet;They hae taen Young Waters,And thrown him in dungeon deep.

11'Aft I have ridden thro Stirling townIn the wind bot and the weit;Bot I neir rade thro Stirling townWi fetters at my feet.

12'Aft have I ridden thro Stirling townIn the wind bot and the rain;Bot I neir rade thro Stirling townNeir to return again.'

13They hae taen to the heiding-hillHis young son in his craddle,And they hae taen to the heiding-hillHis horse bot and his saddle.

14They hae taen to the heiding-hillHis lady fair to see,And for the words the queen had spokeYoung Waters he did dee.

Quhen, zoung,etc.,are printedwhen, young.33. Andcorrected toAnein the second edition of the Reliques.51. But.Ritson, Maidment, Out.101, 3. Waters and: andis carried on to the following line.

Quhen, zoung,etc.,are printedwhen, young.

33. Andcorrected toAnein the second edition of the Reliques.

51. But.Ritson, Maidment, Out.

101, 3. Waters and: andis carried on to the following line.

Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, I, 15.

1It fell about the gude Yule time,When caps and stoups gaed roun,Down it came him Young Waters,To welcome James, our king.2The great, the great, rade a' together,The sma came a' behin,But wi Young Waters, that brave knight,There came a gay gatherin.3The horse Young Waters rade upon,It cost him hunders nine;For he was siller-shod before,And gowd-graith had behin.4At ilka tippit o his horse maneThere hang a siller bell;The wind was loud, the steed was proud,And they gae a sindry knell.5The king he lay ower's castle-wa,Beheld baith dale and down,And he beheld him Young Waters,Come riding to the town.6He turnd him right and round about,And to the queen said he,Who is the bravest man, my dame,That ever your een did see?7'I've seen lairds, and I've seen lords,And knights o high degree,But a braver man than Young WatersMy een did never see.'8He turnd him right and roun about,And ane angry man was he:'O wae to you, my dame, the queen,Ye might hae excepted me!'9'Ye are nae laird, ye are nae lord,Ye are the king that wears the crown;There's nae a lord in fair ScotlandBut unto you maun a' bow down.'10'O lady, for your love-choicing,Ye shall win to your will;The morn, or I eat or drink,Young Waters I'll gar kill.'11'And nevertheless,' the king coud say,'Ye might hae excepted me;Yea for yea,' the king coud say,'Young Waters he shall die.12'Likewise for your ill-wyled words,Ye sall hae cause to mourn;Gin ye hadna been sae big wi child,Ye on a hill sud burn.'13Young Waters came before the king,Fell low down on his knee:'Win up, win up, Young Waters,What 's this I hear o thee?'14'What ails the king at me,' he said,'What ails the king at me?''It is tauld me the day, sir knight,Ye 've done me treasonie.'15'Liars will lie on fell gude men,Sae will they do on me;I wudna wish to be the manThat liars on wudna lie.'16'Nevertheless,' the king coud say,'In prison strang gang ye;O yea for yea,' the king coud say,'Young Waters, ye shall die.'17Syne they hae taen him Young Waters,Laid him in prison strang,And left him there wi fetters boun,Making a heavy mane.18'Aft hae I ridden thro Striveling townThro heavy wind and weet;But neer rade I thro Striveling townWi fetters on my feet.19'Aft hae I ridden thro Striveling townThro heavy wind and rain;But neer rade I thro Striveling townBut thought to ridden't again.'20They brought him to the heading-hill,His horse bot and his saddle;And they brought to the heading-hillHis young son in his cradle.21And they brought to the heading-hillHis hounds intill a leish;And they brought till the heading-hillHis gos-hawk in a jess.22King James he then rade up the hill,And mony a man him wi,And called on his trusty pageTo come right speedilie.23'Ye'll do ye to the Earl o Mar,For he sits on yon hill;Bid him to loose the brand frae his bodie,Young Waters for to kill.'24'O gude forbid,' the Earl he said,'The like sud eer fa me,My bodie eer sud wear the brandThat gars Young Waters die.'25Then he has loosd his trusty brandAnd casten't in the sea;Says, Never lat them get a brandTill it come back to me.26The scaffold it prepared was,And he did mount it hie,And a' spectators that were there,The saut tears blint their ee.27'O had your tongues, my brethren dear,And mourn nae mair for me;Ye're seeking grace frae a graceless face,For there is nane to gie.28'Ye'll tak a bit o canvas claithAnd pit it ower my ee;And Jack, my man, ye'll be at handThe hour that I sud die.29'Syne aff ye'll tak my bluidy sark,Gie it fair Margaret Grahame;For she may curse the dowie dellThat brought King James him hame.30'Ye'll bid her mak her bed narrow,And mak it naeways wide;For a brawer man than Young WatersWill neer streek by her side.31'Bid her do weel to my young son,And gie him nurses three;For gin he live to be a man,King James will gar him die.'32He calld upon the headsman, then,A purse o gowd him gae;Says, Do your office, headsman, boy,And mak nae mair delay.33O head me soon, O head me clean,And pit me out o pine;For it is by the king's command;Gang head me till his min.34Tho by him I'm condemnd to die,I'm lieve to his ain kin;And for the truth, I'll plainly tell,I am his sister's son.35'Gin ye're my sister's son,' he said,'It is unkent to me;''O mindna ye on your sister Bess,That lives in the French countrie?'36'Gin Bess then be your mither dear,As I trust well she be,Gae hame, gae hame, Young Waters,Ye'se neer be slain by me.'37But he lay by his napkin fine,Was saft as ony silk,And on the block he laid his neck,Was whiter than the milk.38Says, Strike the blow, ye headsman, boy,And that right speedilie;It's never be said, Here gaes a knightWas ance condemnd to die.39The head was taen frae Young Waters,And mony tears for him shed;But mair did mourn for fair Margaret,As raving she lyes mad.

1It fell about the gude Yule time,When caps and stoups gaed roun,Down it came him Young Waters,To welcome James, our king.

2The great, the great, rade a' together,The sma came a' behin,But wi Young Waters, that brave knight,There came a gay gatherin.

3The horse Young Waters rade upon,It cost him hunders nine;For he was siller-shod before,And gowd-graith had behin.

4At ilka tippit o his horse maneThere hang a siller bell;The wind was loud, the steed was proud,And they gae a sindry knell.

5The king he lay ower's castle-wa,Beheld baith dale and down,And he beheld him Young Waters,Come riding to the town.

6He turnd him right and round about,And to the queen said he,Who is the bravest man, my dame,That ever your een did see?

7'I've seen lairds, and I've seen lords,And knights o high degree,But a braver man than Young WatersMy een did never see.'

8He turnd him right and roun about,And ane angry man was he:'O wae to you, my dame, the queen,Ye might hae excepted me!'

9'Ye are nae laird, ye are nae lord,Ye are the king that wears the crown;There's nae a lord in fair ScotlandBut unto you maun a' bow down.'

10'O lady, for your love-choicing,Ye shall win to your will;The morn, or I eat or drink,Young Waters I'll gar kill.'

11'And nevertheless,' the king coud say,'Ye might hae excepted me;Yea for yea,' the king coud say,'Young Waters he shall die.

12'Likewise for your ill-wyled words,Ye sall hae cause to mourn;Gin ye hadna been sae big wi child,Ye on a hill sud burn.'

13Young Waters came before the king,Fell low down on his knee:'Win up, win up, Young Waters,What 's this I hear o thee?'

14'What ails the king at me,' he said,'What ails the king at me?''It is tauld me the day, sir knight,Ye 've done me treasonie.'

15'Liars will lie on fell gude men,Sae will they do on me;I wudna wish to be the manThat liars on wudna lie.'

16'Nevertheless,' the king coud say,'In prison strang gang ye;O yea for yea,' the king coud say,'Young Waters, ye shall die.'

17Syne they hae taen him Young Waters,Laid him in prison strang,And left him there wi fetters boun,Making a heavy mane.

18'Aft hae I ridden thro Striveling townThro heavy wind and weet;But neer rade I thro Striveling townWi fetters on my feet.

19'Aft hae I ridden thro Striveling townThro heavy wind and rain;But neer rade I thro Striveling townBut thought to ridden't again.'

20They brought him to the heading-hill,His horse bot and his saddle;And they brought to the heading-hillHis young son in his cradle.

21And they brought to the heading-hillHis hounds intill a leish;And they brought till the heading-hillHis gos-hawk in a jess.

22King James he then rade up the hill,And mony a man him wi,And called on his trusty pageTo come right speedilie.

23'Ye'll do ye to the Earl o Mar,For he sits on yon hill;Bid him to loose the brand frae his bodie,Young Waters for to kill.'

24'O gude forbid,' the Earl he said,'The like sud eer fa me,My bodie eer sud wear the brandThat gars Young Waters die.'

25Then he has loosd his trusty brandAnd casten't in the sea;Says, Never lat them get a brandTill it come back to me.

26The scaffold it prepared was,And he did mount it hie,And a' spectators that were there,The saut tears blint their ee.

27'O had your tongues, my brethren dear,And mourn nae mair for me;Ye're seeking grace frae a graceless face,For there is nane to gie.

28'Ye'll tak a bit o canvas claithAnd pit it ower my ee;And Jack, my man, ye'll be at handThe hour that I sud die.

29'Syne aff ye'll tak my bluidy sark,Gie it fair Margaret Grahame;For she may curse the dowie dellThat brought King James him hame.

30'Ye'll bid her mak her bed narrow,And mak it naeways wide;For a brawer man than Young WatersWill neer streek by her side.

31'Bid her do weel to my young son,And gie him nurses three;For gin he live to be a man,King James will gar him die.'

32He calld upon the headsman, then,A purse o gowd him gae;Says, Do your office, headsman, boy,And mak nae mair delay.

33O head me soon, O head me clean,And pit me out o pine;For it is by the king's command;Gang head me till his min.

34Tho by him I'm condemnd to die,I'm lieve to his ain kin;And for the truth, I'll plainly tell,I am his sister's son.

35'Gin ye're my sister's son,' he said,'It is unkent to me;''O mindna ye on your sister Bess,That lives in the French countrie?'

36'Gin Bess then be your mither dear,As I trust well she be,Gae hame, gae hame, Young Waters,Ye'se neer be slain by me.'

37But he lay by his napkin fine,Was saft as ony silk,And on the block he laid his neck,Was whiter than the milk.

38Says, Strike the blow, ye headsman, boy,And that right speedilie;It's never be said, Here gaes a knightWas ance condemnd to die.

39The head was taen frae Young Waters,And mony tears for him shed;But mair did mourn for fair Margaret,As raving she lyes mad.

FOOTNOTES:[153]D, which is made up from the three others, is translated by Prior, II, 160, No 65.

[153]D, which is made up from the three others, is translated by Prior, II, 160, No 65.

A.Communicated to Bishop Percy, 1770.B.'The Broom o the Cathery Knowes,' Motherwell's MS., p. 290.C.Notes and Queries, Sixth Series, VII, 275, 1883.D.Skene MSS, p. 61, stanzas 19-24: 1802-03.E.'Lady Maisry,' Buchan's MSS, II, 186; 'Warenston and the Duke of York's Daughter,' Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, II, 190, stanzas 16-22.F.Notes and Queries, Sixth Series, VI, 476, 1882.G. a.'The Golden Key,' Notes and Queries, Sixth Series, VI, 415.b.The same, p. 269.H.'The Golden Ball.'a.Baring-Gould's Appendix to Henderson's Notes on the Folk Lore of the Northern Counties of England and the Borders, 1866, p. 333.b.Notes and Queries, Sixth Series, X, 354, 1884.

A.Communicated to Bishop Percy, 1770.

B.'The Broom o the Cathery Knowes,' Motherwell's MS., p. 290.

C.Notes and Queries, Sixth Series, VII, 275, 1883.

D.Skene MSS, p. 61, stanzas 19-24: 1802-03.

E.'Lady Maisry,' Buchan's MSS, II, 186; 'Warenston and the Duke of York's Daughter,' Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, II, 190, stanzas 16-22.

F.Notes and Queries, Sixth Series, VI, 476, 1882.

G. a.'The Golden Key,' Notes and Queries, Sixth Series, VI, 415.b.The same, p. 269.

H.'The Golden Ball.'a.Baring-Gould's Appendix to Henderson's Notes on the Folk Lore of the Northern Counties of England and the Borders, 1866, p. 333.b.Notes and Queries, Sixth Series, X, 354, 1884.

D,Eform the conclusion of a ballad which belongs to the series of 'Mary Hamilton,' or 'The Queen's Mary,' and give an entirely wrong turn to that distressful tragedy.

Fhad become a children's game, the last stage of many old ballads: see the notes. InGandHthe verses are set in a popular tale, and a characteristic explanation is furnished of the danger which the heroine has incurred: she has lost a golden key, or a golden ball, which had been entrusted to her. See, again, the notes.

All the English versions are defective and distorted, as comparison will show. In many others, both from northern and southern Europe, a young woman has fallen into the hands of corsairs; father, mother, brother, sister, refuse to pay ransom, but her lover, in one case husband, stickles at no price which may be necessary to retrieve her.

We will begin with the best ballad of the cycle, theSicilian'Scibilia Nobili,' communicated to Nuove Effemeridi Siciliane, Nuova Serie, I, 528, 1874, by Salvatore Struppa, as sung by a peasant woman in the neighborhood of Marsala, 151 verses.[154]Tunisian corsairs, learning of the marriage of the king's daughter, fit out a strong force, and when they are near port change caps, to pass for Christians. They knock at Scibilia's door, and, on her refusing to open, her husband being a-hunting, burst the door in, and carry her on board ship. Her husband goes to the shore weeping, and offers her captors her weight in gold; they will not give her up for a shipful. He begs to be allowed a word with her: why has she let herself be carried off, and who will nurse her boy? She refuses to eat, drink, or sleep. The sailors fall asleep, and Scibilia drops into the sea. They take silk ladders to recover her; she weeps always. (It would be superfluous to do more than point to the fact that the story is not well compacted, or altogether rational, as we have it.) The lady, turning to a sailor, says, Can you tell me how the wind is? If north or south, I will go to my father. No opposition is made by the pirates, who had but just now refused a shipful of gold for her. "My dear father, will you ransom me?" "For how much, my dear daughter?" "Three lions, three falcons, and four pillars of gold." "I cannot lose somuch money: how much better lose you!" She is urged by her captors to eat and drink, but will not eat, drink, or sleep, for her boy is starving. She again makes for the coast, weeping ever, and the foregoing scene, from the inquiry as to the wind, is repeated with mother, brother, sister. All say it is better to lose her than so much money. She finally tries her husband, who answers, Better lose all this gold; it is enough if you are not lost. And after three days the father died. "And let him die; I will dress all in red." And after three days the mother died. "And let her die; I will dress all in yellow." And after three days the brother died. "And let him die; I will dress all in green." And after three days the sister died. "And let her die; I will dress all in white. And if my dear husband dies, I will dress in black."

Spanish.A. a, 'La Donzella,' Die Balearen in Wort und Bild geschildert, II, 263 (privately printed by the Archduke Ludwig Salvator, Leipzig, 1871, a book which I have not been able to obtain), Liebrecht, Zur Volkskunde, p. 231;b, Briz, Cansons de la Terra, IV, 15, from a Majorcanrevista.B.'Lo Rescat,' Briz, IV, 13.C.'La Cautiva,' Milá, Romancerillo, p. 257, No 261. InAa maid, who is embroidering a handkerchief by the seashore, lacking silk, hails a vessel, and asks if they have any. She is invited to come aboard and see if they have what she requires. She falls asleep, and the sailors put off. This beginning is like that of another very common ballad. The maid is wakened by the singing of the sailors, and asks them to put into the port where her father is. What follows corresponds to the English ballad. "Father, will you ransom me? The Moors offer me for sale." "Dear daughter, how much do they ask?" "I am yours for a hundred crowns." "Daughter, I will not pay a penny for you." The scene is repeated with mother, brother, and sister, all of whom make the same answer as the father, and then with the lover; but his reply is, I would not give you up for all the world.

The first five stanzas ofAare wanting inB, which begins, accordingly, at the point where the maid asks to have the ship put about. The sister is omitted inB, as also inA b.Cis shortened still further, beginning with the appeal to the father, and omitting both sister and brother.

Färöe.'Frísa Vísa,' communicated by Hammershaimb, with other ballads, to the Antiquarisk Tidsskrift, 1849-51, p. 95. Frisian pirates are carrying away a maid. She weeps and beats her hands, and cries, Wait, my father will ransom me; he will ransom me with his castles; he will not let me perish in Friesland. The father answers, I have only two castles; neither of them can I give up for thee; indeed thou mayst perish in Friesland. The Frisians are starting off again. The maid begs them to stop; her mother will redeem her with her kirtles. But the mother says, I have but two kirtles, and neither of them can I give up for thee; indeed thou mayst perish in Friesland. Once more the Frisians are about to put off. The maid says her lover will redeem her with his ships. The lover loyally responds, I have only two ships; both will I gladly part with for thee; thou shalt not perish in Friesland. It appears from a note of Hammershaimb that the ballad might be extended indefinitely by the maid's calling upon brother, sister, and friends to redeem her with their respective valuables.[155]

Icelandic.A ballad briefly mentioned at p. 20 f of the volume of the Antiquarisk Tidsskrift, before cited. The Frisians call out, Bear the Danish maid to the ships! 'Bide, Frisians, bide; my kinsfolk will redeem me.' Upon the sixth appeal, to her lover, the maid is ransomed.

Swedish.'Den Bortsålda,' the same ballad as the Färöe and the Icelandic, with an absurd introductory stanza, in which the maid is said to have been sold into the heathen land by her parents for a bit of bread; whence the title.A. a, Afzelius, No 15, I, 73;[156]b, Hofberg, Nerikes Gamla Minnen, p. 256, No 5.B.Afzelius, I, 134.C.Rancken, Några prof af folksång, p. 6, No 2, with collation of three other copies.D.Eva Wigström, Folkdiktning, I, 62, No 29.E.Öberg, in Aminson, Bidrag, I, 23.F.Axelson, Vesterdalarne, p. 174, No 2, three stanzas, the rest said to be "entirely like" the Afzelius copies, which differ considerably. A maid is in the hands of sea-rovers, and they are on the point of rowing off with her. She wrings her hands, and calls to them to wait a while. She sees her father coming, who will redeem her with his oxen, and so she shall escape going to the heathen land to pine away. The father says he has but oxen two: the one he shall be using, the other he shall keep—låta stå; and she will not scape going to the heathen land. The sailors lower their oars. The maid wrings her hands, and calls to them again to wait; she sees her mother coming, who will redeem her with her gold caskets. The mother says she has of gold caskets but two: the one she shall be using, the other shall let stay. The maid sees her sister, who will redeem her with her gold crowns. The sister has but two gold crowns, one of which she shall be using, the other will let be. The maid sees her brother, who will redeem her with his foals. The brother has but two foals: the one he shall be using, the other he will let be, and she will not scape from going to the heathen land to pine away. Then the maid sees her true-love coming, and calls to him to redeem her with his gold rings. "Of gold rings," he says, "I have no more than twelve: with six I shall redeem thee, six thou shalt have thyself; so thou scapest going to the heathen land to pine away."

This is the story inA, and the chief variations of the other copies are in the things which the maid proposes to her kindred and her lover to redeem her with, and the number of these which they profess to have. The spuriousness of the introductory stanza, in which the girl is said to have been sold into the heathen land for dire need, is evident. The family have two oxen, two gold caskets, two gold crowns, two foals; or even houses, gold caskets, gold chains, mills, more than five,B, and no doubt everything handsome about them. InDthe father is even a king.E,Flack this beginning.Cconcludes with a permissible imprecation on the part of the lover:

'Cursed be thy father, cursed be thy mother,Cursed be thy sister, and even so thy brother!'

InDanishthe ballad occurs in manuscripts, and has been printed as a broadside: Bergström's Afzelius, II, 63.

German.A.Gräter's Idunna und Hermode, 1814, p. 76, communicated by Abrahamson, one of the editors of the Danske Viser, as learned by him from a maid-servant of his mother, in Sleswig, not long after 1750.B.'Liebesprobe,' Kretzschmer-Zuccalmaglio, II, 54, No 22, "from North Germany," apparently a little retouched.C.'Des Liebsten Liebe die grösste Liebe,' Hoffmann und Richter, p. 43, No 23, Silesia.D.'Loskauf,' Erk's Liederhort, p. 136, No 40, Saxony.E.'Das losgekaufte Mädchen,' Erk und Irmer,II, 52, No 53, Saxony.F.'Loskauf,' Erk's Liederhort, p. 138, No 40a, Brandenburg.G.'O Schipmann,' Reiffenberg, p. 138, Westphalia.H.'O Schipmann,' Reiffenberg, p. 10, No 5, Westphalia.I.'Loskauf,' Uhland, p. 267, No 117, Westphalia.J.Köhler, in Anzeiger für deutsches Alterthum, VI, 268, from Friedrich Kind in "Abend-Zeitung, 1819, No 164, Kind's Erzählungen, 1822, p. 77," Auserwählte Unterhaltungen, Wien, 1827, I, 20. 'Die Losgekaufte,' in Kretzschmer, I, 181, is rewritten; 'Loskauf,' in Simrock, No 39, p. 90, is made up from a variety of copies. Several of the versions come very near to one another, especiallyC-F, nor is there any noteworthy difference in the story of the whole series, save a single point in the last three. A maid whom seamen are carrying off begs them to stop or put back to land; she has a father who will not abandon her. She begs her father to part with coat, house, hat, watch, or bull, to save her from drowning; the father refuses. Then, as before, she successively and vainly entreats her mother to redeem her with gold chain, ring, apron, gown, or silver trinkets; her brother with silver buckles, hat, horse, sword, or coat; her sister with apron, dress, shoes,green wreath, or pearl wreath. Two of the four relatives are wanting inH,I,J. All of her blood refusing to ransom the maid, she calls upon her lover to sacrifice sword, horse, ring, golden hill, to save her, or, inH,I,J, to sell himself to the oar, and the lover is ready in every case. The redemption is not from slavery in a foreign land, but from drowning.

Esthonian.The ballad is known all over Esthonia, and a copy composed of two closely resembling versions is given by Neus, Ehstnische Volkslieder, p. 109, 'Die Ausgelöste.' A girl, taken captive in war, asks that the boats may put in, in order that she may find some one to buy her off. She appeals first to her mother, who might redeem her with the best of three aprons which she possesses, one of which is of gold web, another of silver, another of brass. A daughter, answers the mother, is a thing of to-day and to-morrow; my aprons are for life. Her father is next asked to ransom her with the best of three bulls which he owns, which have a horn of gold, silver, and brass respectively. His daughter is his for two days, his bulls for life. The brother is entreated to save her by the sacrifice of the best of his three horses, which have severally manes of gold, silver, and brass. His sister is his for two days, his horse for life. The sister is asked to part with the best of her three wreaths, which are of gold, silver, brass, for an only sister's sake. A sister is hers for a month or two, her wreath for life. Finally the maid turns to her true-love, who has three hats, one of brass, one of silver, one of gold, and entreats him to devote the best to her redemption. How long lasts a hat? he exclaims. A couple of days; but my betrothed for life! Another copy of the same ballad is given by Neus in Dorpater Jahrbücher, V, 228.

The ballad is equally popular in Finland: 'Lunastettava neiti,' Kanteletar, 1864, p. 283, No 26, p. 285, No 27, ed. 1840, III, 131, 137, 273 f; Rancken, Några prof, p. 9.

In various Slavic ballads the man and maid change parts, and the man is ransomed by the generosity of his mistress when his kinsfolk have failed him.

TwoWendishballads, Haupt and Schmaler,A, No 74,B, No 75, I, 107 ff, begin, like the popular German ballad 'Der Schäfer und der Edelmann,' with a shepherd's being thrown into prison by a nobleman for wearing a costume beyond his rank, and proud words besides. He sees his father coming,A, and asks him to pawn half a hundred sheep and get him out. The father prefers his half hundred sheep. He sees his mother coming, and asks her to pawn two cows and release him. She prefers her cows. He sees his brother coming, and asks him to pawn his horse. His brother prefers his horse. He sees his sister coming, and asks her to pawn a fine gown, but the gown again is much dearer in his sister's eyes. He sees his love coming, and asks her to pawn her coral necklace for his ransom, which she does, and he is released. InBhe writes to father, mother, and sister to ransom him; they all tell him that if he were good for anything he would not be in prison. His love flies to him and ransoms him.[157]

Russian.Čelakowský,II, 106,[158]Sakharof, IV, 171, No 13. A young man in prison writes to father and mother for ransom; the whole family will have nothing to do with malefactors and robbers. His love, when written to, calls to her women to get her gold together, all that shall be needed to free him.

Little-Russian.Golovatsky, I, 48, No 8. An imprisoned youth writes to his father, Wilt thou ransom me, or shall I perish? How much must he give? Forty saddled horses. Better he should perish. He writes to his mother; she must give forty oxen with their yokes. She declines. He writes to his love;she must furnish forty geese with their goslings. I will spin, she says, spin lustily, buy geese, and ransom thee. No 7, I, 46, is to the same effect, but lacks the close.

Slovenian.'Rodbina,' 'Kinship,' Vraz, Narodne Pěsni ilirske, p. 141.[159]A hero in prison asks his father to release him; the three horses he must give are too much. He asks his mother; the three castles she must give are too much. He asks his brother; the three rifles he must give are too much. He asks his sister; the three fair tresses she must sacrifice are too much. He asks his love; she must give her white hand. Not too much is my white hand, she says; easy to give for thee hand and life besides.

A Little-Russian ballad in Waclaw z Oleska, p. 226, and a Polish in Waldbrühl's Balalaika, p. 504, have the same theme, Love stronger than Blood (woman's love here), but do not belong with the pieces already cited as to form.

Communicated to Percy, April 7, 1770, by the Rev. P. Parsons, of Wey, from oral tradition.

* * * * *1'O good Lord Judge, and sweet Lord Judge,Peace for a little while!Methinks I see my own father,Come riding by the stile.2'Oh father, oh father, a little of your gold,And likewise of your fee!To keep my body from yonder grave,And my neck from the gallows-tree.'3'None of my gold now you shall have,Nor likewise of my fee;For I am come to see you hangd,And hanged you shall be.'4'Oh good Lord Judge, and sweet Lord Judge,Peace for a little while!Methinks I see my own mother,Come riding by the stile.5'Oh mother, oh mother, a little of your gold,And likewise of your fee,To keep my body from yonder grave,And my neck from the gallows-tree!'6'None of my gold now shall you have,Nor likewise of my fee;For I am come to see you hangd,And hanged you shall be.'7'Oh good Lord Judge, and sweet Lord Judge,Peace for a little while!Methinks I see my own brother,Come riding by the stile.8'Oh brother, oh brother, a little of your gold,And likewise of your fee,To keep my body from yonder grave,And my neck from the gallows-tree!'9'None of my gold now shall you have,Nor likewise of my fee;For I am come to see you hangd,And hanged you shall be.'10'Oh good Lord Judge, and sweet Lord Judge,Peace for a little while!Methinks I see my own sister,Come riding by the stile.11'Oh sister, oh sister, a little of your gold,And likewise of your fee,To keep my body from yonder grave,And my neck from the gallows-tree!'12'None of my gold now shall you have,Nor likewise of my fee;For I am come to see you hangd,And hanged you shall be.'13'Oh good Lord Judge, and sweet Lord Judge,Peace for a little while!Methinks I see my own true-love,Come riding by the stile.14'Oh true-love, oh true-love, a little of your gold,And likewise of your fee,To save my body from yonder grave,And my neck from the gallows-tree.'15'Some of my gold now you shall have,And likewise of my fee,For I am come to see you saved,And saved you shall be.'

* * * * *

1'O good Lord Judge, and sweet Lord Judge,Peace for a little while!Methinks I see my own father,Come riding by the stile.

2'Oh father, oh father, a little of your gold,And likewise of your fee!To keep my body from yonder grave,And my neck from the gallows-tree.'

3'None of my gold now you shall have,Nor likewise of my fee;For I am come to see you hangd,And hanged you shall be.'

4'Oh good Lord Judge, and sweet Lord Judge,Peace for a little while!Methinks I see my own mother,Come riding by the stile.

5'Oh mother, oh mother, a little of your gold,And likewise of your fee,To keep my body from yonder grave,And my neck from the gallows-tree!'

6'None of my gold now shall you have,Nor likewise of my fee;For I am come to see you hangd,And hanged you shall be.'

7'Oh good Lord Judge, and sweet Lord Judge,Peace for a little while!Methinks I see my own brother,Come riding by the stile.

8'Oh brother, oh brother, a little of your gold,And likewise of your fee,To keep my body from yonder grave,And my neck from the gallows-tree!'

9'None of my gold now shall you have,Nor likewise of my fee;For I am come to see you hangd,And hanged you shall be.'

10'Oh good Lord Judge, and sweet Lord Judge,Peace for a little while!Methinks I see my own sister,Come riding by the stile.

11'Oh sister, oh sister, a little of your gold,And likewise of your fee,To keep my body from yonder grave,And my neck from the gallows-tree!'

12'None of my gold now shall you have,Nor likewise of my fee;For I am come to see you hangd,And hanged you shall be.'

13'Oh good Lord Judge, and sweet Lord Judge,Peace for a little while!Methinks I see my own true-love,Come riding by the stile.

14'Oh true-love, oh true-love, a little of your gold,And likewise of your fee,To save my body from yonder grave,And my neck from the gallows-tree.'

15'Some of my gold now you shall have,And likewise of my fee,For I am come to see you saved,And saved you shall be.'

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