Ballad Book Part 33

HELEN OF KIRCONNEL. After Scott. Other versions are given by Herd, Ritson, and Jamieson. There is said to be a traditional basis for the ballad, and the grave of the lovers, Adam Fleming and Helen Irving (or Helen Bell), is still pointed out in the churchyard of Kirconnell, near Springkell. _Burd_, lady.

WALY WALY. After Ramsay, being first published in the _Tea-Table Miscellany_. These touching and tender stanzas have been pieced by Chambers into the patchwork ballad, _Lord Jamie Douglas_, but evidently it is not there that they belong. _Waly_, a cry of lamentation. _Brae_, hillside. _Burn_, brook. _Syne_, then. _Lichtly_, slight. _Busk_, adorn. _Marti'mas_, November. _Fell_, bitterly.

_Cramasie_, crimson.

LORD RONALD. After Scott's version ent.i.tled _Lord Randal_. Scott adopts this name because he thinks the ballad may originally have had reference to the death of Thomas Randolph, or Randal, Earl of Murray,--a theory which Allingham, with more justice than mercy, briefly disposes of as "mere antiquarian moonshine." In point of fact the ballad recounts an old, old story, told in many literatures, Italian, German, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Magyar, Wendish, Bohemian, Catalan. The English offshoot takes on a bewildering variety of forms. (See Introduction, pp. xiii, xiv.) _Broo'_, broth.

EDWARD, EDWARD. After Percy, the ballad having made its first appearance in the _Reliques_. Motherwell gives an interesting version, in which the murderer, who in this case has slain his brother, is addressed as _Son Davie_. There are German, Swedish, Danish and Finish equivalents. The old orthography, which is retained here for its literary interest, cannot obscure the tragic power of the ballad.

_Frie_, free. _Dule ye drie_, grief ye suffer. _Tul_, till.