Ballads of Mystery and Miracle and Fyttes of Mirth Part 48

1.

It fell about the Martinmas time, And a gay time it was then, When our goodwife got puddings to make, And she's boil'd them in the pan.

2.

The wind sae cauld blew south and north, And blew into the floor; Quoth our goodman to our goodwife, 'Gae out and bar the door.'

3.

'My hand is in my hussyfskep, Goodman, as ye may see; An it shoud nae be barr'd this hundred year, It's no be barr'd for me.'

4.

They made a paction 'tween them twa, They made it firm and sure, That the first word whae'er shoud speak, Shoud rise and bar the door.

5.

Then by there came two gentlemen, At twelve o'clock at night, And they could neither see house nor hall, Nor coal nor candle-light.

6.

'Now whether is this a rich man's house, Or whether is it a poor?'

But ne'er a word wad ane o' them speak, For barring of the door.

7.

And first they ate the white puddings, And then they ate the black; Tho' muckle thought the goodwife to hersel', Yet ne'er a word she spake.

8.

Then said the one unto the other, 'Here, man, tak ye my knife; Do ye tak aff the auld man's beard, And I'll kiss the goodwife.'

9.

'But there's nae water in the house, And what shall we do than?'

'What ails ye at the pudding-broo, That boils into the pan?'

10.

O up then started our goodman, An angry man was he: 'Will ye kiss my wife before my een, And sca'd me wi' pudding-bree?'

11.

Then up and started our goodwife, Gi'ed three skips on the floor: 'Goodman, you've spoken the foremost word, Get up and bar the door.'

[Annotations: 3.1: 'hussyfskep' = housewife's skep, a straw basket for meal.

6.4: 'For,' _i.e._ to prevent: cp. _Child Waters_, 28.6 (First Series, p. 41).

9.3: 'what ails ye,' etc. = why not use the pudding-broth.

10.4: 'sca'd,' scald.]

END OF THE SECOND SERIES

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APPENDIX

THE GREAT SILKIE OF SULE SKERRIE (p. 63)

Since the version given in the text was in type, my friend Mr.

A. Francis Steuart of Edinburgh has kindly pointed out to me the following fuller and better variant of the ballad, which was unknown to Professor Child. It may be found in R. Menzies Fergusson's _Rambling Sketches in the Far North and Orcadian Musings_ (1883), pp. 140-141, whence I have copied it, only adding the numbers to the stanzas.

THE GREY SELCHIE OF SHOOL SKERRY

1.

In Norway lands there lived a maid, 'Hush, ba, loo lillie,' this maid began; 'I know not where my baby's father is, Whether by land or sea does he travel in.'

2.

It happened on a certain day, When this fair lady fell fast asleep, That in cam' a good grey selchie, And set him doon at her bed feet,

3.

Saying, 'Awak', awak', my pretty fair maid.

For oh! how sound as thou dost sleep!

An' I'll tell thee where thy baby's father is; He's sittin' close at thy bed feet.'

4.

'I pray, come tell to me thy name, Oh! tell me where does thy dwelling be?'

'My name it is good Hein Mailer, An' I earn my livin' oot o' the sea.

5.

'I am a man upon the land; I am a selchie in the sea; An' whin I'm far frae every strand, My dwellin' is in Shool Skerrie.'

6.

'Alas! alas! this woeful fate!

This weary fate that's been laid for me!

That a man should come frae the Wast o' Hoy, To the Norway lands to have a bairn wi' me.'

7.

'My dear, I'll wed thee with a ring, With a ring, my dear, I'll wed wi' thee.'

'Thoo may go wed thee weddens wi' whom thoo wilt; For I'm sure thoo'll never wed none wi' me.'

8.

'Thoo will nurse my little wee son For seven long years upo' thy knee, An' at the end o' seven long years I'll come back an' pay the norish fee.'

9.

She's nursed her little wee son For seven long years upo' her knee, An' at the end o' seven long years He cam' back wi' gold an' white monie.

10.