English and Scottish Ballads Volume I Part 27

It fell upo' another day, This guid lord he thought lang, 70 And he is to the hunting gane, Took wi' him his dog and gun.

Wi' bow and arrow by his side, He's aff, single, alane; And left his seven children to stay 75 Wi' their mither at hame.

"O, I will tell to you, mither, Gin ye wadna angry be:"

"Speak on, speak on, my little wee boy, Ye'se nae be quarrell'd by me." 80

"As we came frae the hynd hunting, We heard fine music ring:"

"My blessings on you, my bonny boy, I wish I'd been there my lane."

He's ta'en his mither by the hand, 85 His six brithers also, And they are on thro' Elmond's-wood, As fast as they coud go.

They wistna weel where they were gaen, Wi' the stratlins o' their feet; 90 They wistna weel where they were gaen, Till at her father's yate.

"I hae nae money in my pocket, But royal rings hae three; I'll gie them you, my little young son, 95 And ye'll walk there for me.

"Ye'll gi'e the first to the proud porter,[L97]

And he will lat you in; Ye'll gi'e the next to the butler boy, And he will show you ben; 100

"Ye'll gi'e the third to the minstrel That plays before the king; He'll play success to the bonny boy Came thro' the wood him lane."

He ga'e the first to the proud porter, 105 And he open'd an' let him in; He ga'e the next to the butler boy, And he has shown him ben;

He ga'e the third to the minstrel That play'd before the king; 110 And he play'd success to the bonny boy Came thro' the wood him lane.

Now when he came before the king, Fell low down on his knee: The king he turned round about, 115 And the saut tear blinded his ee.

"Win up, win up, my bonny boy, Gang frae my companie; Ye look sae like my dear daughter, My heart will birst in three." 120

"If I look like your dear daughter, A wonder it is none; If I look like your dear daughter, I am her eldest son."

"Will ye tell me, ye little wee boy, 125 Where may my Margaret be?"

"She's just now standing at your yates, And my six brithers her wi'."

"O where are all my porter boys That I pay meat and fee, 130 To open my yates baith wide and braid?

Let her come in to me."

When she came in before the king, Fell low down on her knee: "Win up, win up, my daughter dear, 135 This day ye'll dine wi me."

"Ae bit I canno' eat, father, Nor ae drop can I drink, Till I see my mither and sister dear, For lang for them I think." 140

When she came before the queen, Fell low down on her knee: "Win up, win up, my daughter dear, This day ye'se dine wi' me."

"Ae bit I canno' eat, mither, 145 Nor ae drop can I drink, Until I see my dear sister, For lang for her I think."

When that these two sisters met, She hail'd her courteouslie: 150 "Come ben, come ben, my sister dear, This day ye'se dine wi' me."

"Ae bit I canno' eat, sister, Nor ae drop can I drink, Until I see my dear husband, 155 For lang for him I think."

"O where are all my rangers bold That I pay meat and fee, To search the forest far an' wide, And bring Akin to me?" 160

Out it speaks the wee little boy,-- "Na, na, this maunna be; Without ye grant a free pardon, I hope ye'll nae him see."

"O here I grant a free pardon, 165 Well seal'd by my own han'; Ye may make search for young Akin, As soon as ever you can."

They search'd the country wide and braid, The forests far and near, 170 And found him into Elmond's-wood, Tearing his yellow hair.

"Win up, win up, now young Akin.

Win up, and boun wi' me; We're messengers come from the court; 175 The king wants you to see."

"O lat him take frae me my head, Or hang me on a tree; For since I've lost my dear lady, Life's no pleasure to me." 180

"Your head will nae be touch'd, Akin, Nor hang'd upon a tree: Your lady's in her father's court, And all he wants is thee."

When he came in before the king, 185 Fell low down on his knee: "Win up, win up now, young Akin, This day ye'se dine wi' me."

But as they were at dinner set, The boy asked a boun; 190 "I wish we were in the good church, For to get christendoun.

"We ha'e lived in guid green wood This seven years and ane; But a' this time since e'er I mind, 195 Was never a church within."

"Your asking 's nae sae great, my boy, But granted it shall be; This day to guid church ye shall gang, And your mither shall gang you wi'." 200

When unto the guid church she came, She at the door did stan'; She was sae sair sunk down wi' shame, She coudna come farer ben.

Then out it speaks the parish priest, 205 And a sweet smile gae he;--- "Come ben, come ben, my lily flower, Present your babes to me."

Charles, Vincent, Sam, and d.i.c.k, And likewise James and John; 210 They call'd the eldest Young Akin, Which was his father's name.

Then they staid in the royal court, And liv'd wi' mirth and glee; And when her father was deceas'd, 215 Heir of the crown was she.

97. The regular propitiation for the "proud porter" of ballad poetry.

See, e.g. _King Arthur and the King of Cornwall_, in the Appendix, v.

49: also the note to _King Estmere_, vol. iii. p. 172.

YOUNG HASTINGS THE GROOM.

(Motherwell's _Minstrelsy_, p. 287.)

"O well love I to ride in a mist, And shoot in a northern wind; And far better a lady to steal, That's come of a n.o.ble kind."

Four-and-twenty fair ladies 5 Put on that lady's sheen; And as many young gentlemen Did lead her o'er the green.

Yet she preferred before them all Him, young Hastings the Groom; 10 He's coosten a mist before them all, And away this lady has ta'en.