| |
I
IT’S narrow, narrow, mak your bed, | |
| And learn to lie your lane; | |
| For I’m gaun owre the sea, Fair Annie, | |
| A braw Bride to bring hame. | |
| Wi’ her I will get gowd and gear, | 5 |
| Wi’ you I ne’er gat nane. | |
| |
II
‘But wha will bake my bridal bread, | |
| Or brew my bridal ale? | |
| And wha will become my bright Bride, | |
| That I bring owre the dale?’— | 10 |
| |
III
‘It’s I will bake your bridal bread, | |
| And brew your bridal ale; | |
| And I will welcome your bright Bride, | |
| That you bring owre the dale.’— | |
| |
IV
‘But she that welcomes my bright Bride | 15 |
| Maun gang like maiden fair; | |
| She maun lace on her robe sae jimp, | |
| And comely braid her hair. | |
| |
V
‘Bind up, bind up your yellow hair, | |
| And tie it on your neck; | 20 |
| And see you look as maiden-like | |
| As the day that first we met.’— | |
| |
VI
‘O how can I gang maiden-like, | |
| When maiden I am nane? | |
| Have I not borne six sons to thee, | 25 |
| And am wi’ child again?’— | |
| |
VII
‘I’ll put cooks into my kitchen, | |
| And stewards in my hall, | |
| And I’ll have bakers for my bread, | |
| And brewers for my ale; | 30 |
| But you’re to welcome my bright Bride, | |
| That I bring owre the dale.’ | |
| |
VIII
Three months and a day were gane and past, | |
| Fair Annie she gat word | |
| That her love’s ship was come at last, | 35 |
| Wi’ his bright young Bride aboard. | |
| |
IX
She’s ta’en her young son in her arms, | |
| Anither in her hand; | |
| And she’s gane up to the highest tower, | |
| Looks over sea and land. | 40 |
| |
X
‘Come doun, come doun, my mother dear, | |
| Come aff the castle wa’! | |
| I fear if langer ye stand there, | |
| Ye’ll let yoursell doun fa’.’ | |
| |
XI
She ’s ta’en a cake o’ the best bread, | 45 |
| A stoup o’ the best wine, | |
| And a’ the keys upon her arm, | |
| And to the yett is gane. | |
| |
XII
‘O ye’re welcome hame, my ain gude lord, | |
| To your castles and your towers; | 50 |
| Ye’re welcome hame, my ain gude lord, | |
| To your ha’s, but and your bowers. | |
| And welcome to your hame, fair lady! | |
| For a’ that ’s here is yours.’ | |
| |
XIII
‘O whatna lady ’s that, my lord, | 55 |
| That welcomes you and me? | |
| Gin I be lang about this place, | |
| Her friend I mean to be.’ | |
| |
XIV
Fair Annie served the lang tables | |
| Wi’ the white bread and the wine; | 60 |
| But ay she drank the wan water | |
| To keep her colour fine. | |
| |
XV
And aye she served the lang tables | |
| Wi’ the white bread and the brown, | |
| And aye she turn’d her round about, | 65 |
| Sae fast the tears fell doun. | |
| |
XVI
She took a napkin lang and white, | |
| And hung it on a pin; | |
| It was to wipe away the tears, | |
| As she gaed out and in. | 70 |
| |
XVII
When bells were rung and mass was sung, | |
| And a’ men bound for bed, | |
| The bridegroom and the bonny Bride | |
| In ae chamber were laid. | |
| |
XVIII
Fair Annie’s ta’en a harp in her hand, | 75 |
| To harp thir twa asleep; | |
| But ay, as she harpit and she sang, | |
| Fu’ sairly did she weep. | |
| |
XIX
‘O gin my sons were seven rats, | |
| Rinnin’ on the castle wa’, | 80 |
| And I mysell a great grey cat, | |
| I soon wad worry them a’! | |
| |
XX
‘O gin my sons were seven hares, | |
| Rinnin’ owre yon lily lea, | |
| And I mysell a good greyhound, | 85 |
| Soon worried they a’ should be!’ | |
| |
XXI
Then out and spak the bonny young Bride, | |
| In bride-bed where she lay: | |
| ‘That’s like my sister Annie,’ she says; | |
| ‘Wha is it doth sing and play? | 90 |
| |
XXII
‘I’ll put on my gown,’ said the new-come Bride, | |
| ‘And my shoes upon my feet; | |
| I will see wha doth sae sadly sing, | |
| And what is it gars her greet. | |
| |
XXIII
‘What ails you, what ails you, my housekeeper, | 95 |
| That ye mak sic a mane? | |
| Has ony wine-barrel cast its girds, | |
| Or is a’ your white bread gane?’— | |
| |
XXIV
‘It isna because my wine is spilt, | |
| Or that my white bread’s gane; | 100 |
| But because I’ve lost my love’s love, | |
| And he’s wed to anither ane.’— | |
| |
XXV
‘Noo tell me wha was your father?’ she says, | |
| ‘Noo tell me wha was your mither? | |
| And had ye ony sister?’ she says, | 105 |
| ‘And had ye ever a brither?’— | |
| |
XXVI
‘The Earl of Wemyss was my father, | |
| The countess of Wemyss my mither, | |
| Young Elinor she was my sister dear, | |
| And Lord John he was my brither.’— | 110 |
| |
XXVII
‘If the Earl of Wemyss was your father, | |
| I wot sae was he mine; | |
| And it’s O my sister Annie! | |
| Your love ye sallna tyne. | |
| |
XXVIII
‘Tak your husband, my sister dear; | 115 |
| You ne’er were wrang’d for me, | |
| Beyond a kiss o’ his merry mouth | |
| As we cam owre the sea. | |
| |
XXIX
‘Seven ships, loaded weel, | |
| Cam owre the sea wi’ me; | 120 |
| Ane o’ them will tak me hame, | |
| And six I’ll gie to thee.’ | |
| | | GLOSS: jimp] slender, trim. yett] gate. tyne] lose. |
|
| |
