English and Scottish Ballads Volume I Part 37

"It's here is come, my sister-son, Frae baith our fathers' land; And I ha'e pledged him faith and troth, That ye will not him bann." 60

"And is he come, thy sister-son, Frae thy father's land to thee?

Then I will swear my highest aith, He's dree nae skaith frae me."

'Twas then the high king Rosmer, 65 He ca'd on younkers twae: "Ye bid proud Svane lyle's sister-son To the chalmer afore me gae."

It was Svane lyle's sister-son, Whan afore Rosmer he wan, 70 His heart it quook, and his body shook, Sae fley'd, he scarce dow stand.

Sae Rosmer took her sister-son, Set him upon his knee; He clappit him sae luifsomely, 75 He turned baith blue and blae.

And up and spak she, Svane lyle; "Sir Rosmer, ye're nae to learn That your ten fingers arena sma, To clap sae little a bairn." 80

There was he till, the fifthen year, He green'd for hame and land: "Help me now, sister Svane lyle, To be set on the white sand."

It was proud Lady Svane lyle, 85 Afore Rosmer can stand: "This younker sae lang in the sea has been, He greens for hame and land."

"Gin the younker sae lang in the sea has been, And greens for hame and land, 90 Then I'll gie him a kist wi' goud, Sae fitting till his hand."

"And will ye gi'e him a kist wi' goud, Sae fitting till his hand?

Then hear ye, my n.o.ble heartis dear, 95 Ye bear them baith to land."

Then wrought proud Lady Svane lyle What Rosmer little wist; For she's tane out the goud sae red, And laid hersel i' the kist. 100

He's ta'en the man upon his back; The kist in his mouth took he; And he has gane the lang way up Frae the bottom o' the sea.

"Now I ha'e borne thee to the land; 105 Thou seest baith sun and moon; Namena Lady Svane for thy highest G.o.d, I beg thee as a boon."

Rosmer sprang i' the saut sea out, And jawp'd it up i' the sky; 110 But whan he cam till the castell in, Nae Svane lyle could he spy.

Whan he came till the castell in, His dearest awa was gane; Like wood he sprang the castell about, 115 On the rock o' the black flintstane.

Glad they were in proud Hillers lyle's house, Wi' welcome joy and glee; Hame to their friends her bairns were come, That had lang been in the sea. 120

TAM-A-LINE, THE ELFIN KNIGHT. (See page 114.)

From _Scottish Traditionary Versions of Ancient Ballads_, Percy Society, xvii. p. 11.

Take warnin', a' ye ladyes fair, That wear gowd on your hair; Come never unto Charter-woods, For Tam-a-line he's there.

Even about that knicht's middle 5 O' siller bells are nine; Nae ane comes to Charter-woods, And a may returns agen.

Ladye Margaret sits in her bouir door, Sewing at her silken seam; 10 And she lang'd to gang to Charter woods, To pou the roses green.

She hadna pou'd a rose, a rose, Nor braken a branch but ane, Till by it came him true Tam-a-line, 15 Says, "Layde, lat alane.

"O why pou ye the rose, the rose?

Or why brake ye the tree?

Or why come ye to Charter-woods, Without leave ask'd of me?" 20

"I will pou the rose, the rose, And I will brake the tree; Charter-woods are a' my ain, I'll ask nae leave o' thee."

He's taen her by the milk-white hand, 25 And by the gra.s.s-green sleeve; And laid her low on gude green wood, At her he spier'd nae leave.

When he had got his will o' her, His will as he had ta'en, 30 He's ta'en her by the middle sma', Set her to feet again.

She turn'd her richt and round about, To spier her true love's name, But naething heard she, nor naething saw, 35 As a' the woods grew dim.

Seven days she tarried there, Saw neither sun nor muin; At length, by a sma' glimmerin' licht, Came thro' the wood her lane. 40

When she came to her father's court, Was fine as ony queen; But when eight months were past and gane, Got on the gown o' green.

Then out it speaks an eldren knicht, 45 As he stood at the yett; "Our king's dochter, she gaes wi' bairn, And we'll get a' the wyte."

"O haud your tongue, ye eldren man, And bring me not to shame; 50 Although that I do gang wi' bairn, Yese naeways get the blame.

"Were my love but an earthly man, As he's an elfin knicht, I wadna gie my ain true luve, 55 For a' that's in my sicht."

Then out it speaks her brither dear, He meant to do her harm, "There is an herb in Charter-woods Will twine you an' the bairn." 60

She's taen her mantle her about, Her coiffer by the band; And she is on to Charter-woods, As fast as she coud gang.

She hadna poud a rose, a rose, 65 Nor braken a branch but ane, Till by it came him, Tam-a-Line, Says, "Ladye, lat alane."

"O! why pou ye the pile, Margaret, The pile o' the gravil green, 70 For to destroy the bonny bairn That we got us between?

"O! why pou ye the pile, Margaret, The pile o' the gravil gray, For to destroy the bonny bairn 75 That we got in our play?

"For if it be a knave bairn, He's heir o' a' my land; But if it be a la.s.s bairn, In red gowd she shall gang." 80

"If my luve were an earthly man, As he's an elfin grey, I coud gang bound, luve, for your sake, A twalmonth and a day."

"Indeed your luve's an earthly man, 85 The same as well as thee; And lang I've haunted Charter-woods, A' for your fair bodie."

"O! tell me, tell me, Tam-a-Line, O! tell, an' tell me true; 90 Tell me this nicht, an' mak' nae lee, What pedigree are you?"

"O! I hae been at gude church-door, An' I've got christendom; I'm the Earl o' Forbes' eldest son, 95 An' heir ower a' his land.

"When I was young, o' three years old, Muckle was made o' me; My stepmither put on my claithes, An' ill, ill, sained she me. 100

"Ae fatal morning I gaed out, Dreading nae injurie; And thinking lang, fell soun asleep, Beneath an apple tree.

"Then by it came the Elfin Queen, 105 And laid her hand on me; And from that time since e'er I mind, I've been in her companie.

"O Elfin it's a bonny place, In it fain wad I dwell; 110 But aye at ilka seven years' end, They pay a tiend to h.e.l.l, And I'm sae fou o' flesh an blude, I'm sair fear'd for mysell."