English and Scottish Ballads Volume II Part 30

"What did ye get for your supper, Lord Donald, my son?

What did ye get for your supper, my jollie young man?" 10 "A dish of sma' fishes:--mither, mak my bed sune, For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie doun."

"Whare gat ye the fishes, Lord Donald, my son?

Whare gat ye the fishes, my jollie young man?"

"In my father's black ditches:--mither, mak my bed sune, 15 For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie doun."

"What like were your fishes, Lord Donald, my son?

What like were your fishes, my jollie young man?"

"Black backs and spreckl'd bellies:--mither, mak my bed sune, For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie doun." 20

"O I fear ye are poison'd, Lord Donald, my son!

O I fear ye are poison'd, my jollie young man!"

"O yes! I am poison'd:--mither mak my bed sune, For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie doun."

"What will ye leave to your father, Lord Donald my son? 25 What will ye leave to your father, my jollie young man?"

"Baith my houses and land:--mither, mak my bed sune, For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie doun."

"What will ye leave to your brither, Lord Donald, my son?

What will ye leave to your brither, my jollie young man?" 30 "My horse and the saddle:--mither, mak my bed sune, For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie doun."

"What will ye leave to your sister, Lord Donald, my son?

What will ye leave to your sister, my jollie young man?"

"Baith my gold box and rings:--mither, mak my bed sune, 35 For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie doun."

"What will ye leave to your true-love, Lord Donald, my son?

What will ye leave to your true-love, my jollie young man?"

"The tow and the halter, for to hang on yon tree, And lat her hang there for the poysoning o' me." 40

LORD RANDAL (B).

From _Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border_, (iii. 49.)

Scott changed the name of the hero of this piece from _Lord Ronald_ to _Lord Randal_, on the authority of a single copy. The change is unimportant, but the reason will appear curious, if we remember that the Swedes and Germans have the ballad as well as the Scotch;--"because, though the circ.u.mstances are so very different, I think it not impossible, that the ballad may have originally regarded the death of Thomas Randolph, or Randal, Earl of Murray, nephew to Robert Bruce, and governor of Scotland."

"O where hae ye been Lord Randal, my son?

O where hae ye been, my handsome young man?"-- "I hae been to the wild wood; mother make my bed soon, For I'm weary wi' hunting, and fain wald lie down."--

"Where gat ye your dinner, Lord Randal, my son? 5 Where gat ye your dinner, my handsome young man?"

"I dined wi' my true-love; mother, make my bed soon, For I'm weary wi' hunting, and fain wald lie down."--

"What gat ye to your dinner, Lord Randal, my son?

What gat ye to your dinner, my handsome young man?"-- 10 "I gat eels boil'd in broo; mother, make my bed soon, For I'm weary wi' hunting, and fain wald lie down."--

"What became of your bloodhounds, Lord Randal, my son?

What became of your bloodhounds, my handsome young man?"-- "O they swell'd and they died; mother, make my bed soon, 15 For I'm weary wi' hunting, and fain wald lie down."--

"O I fear ye are poison'd, Lord Randal, my son!

O I fear ye are poisoned, my handsome young man!"-- "O yes! I am poison'd; mother, make my bed soon, For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie down." 20

THE CRUEL BROTHER:

OR,

THE BRIDE'S TESTAMENT.

Of this ballad, which is still commonly recited and sung in Scotland, four copies have been published. The following is from Jamieson's collection, i. 66, where it was printed _verbatim_ after the recitation of Mrs. Arrott. A copy from Aytoun's collection is subjoined, which is nearly the same as a less perfect one in Herd, i. 149, and the fourth, from Gilbert's _Ancient Christmas Carols_, &c., is in the Appendix to this volume.

The conclusion, or testamentary part, occurs very frequently in ballads, e. g. _Den lillas Testamente_, _Svenska Folk-Visor_, No. 68, translated in the Appendix to this volume, the end of _Den onde Svigermoder_, _Danske Viser_, i. 261, translated in _Ill.u.s.trations of Northern Antiquities_, p. 344, _Moen paa Baalet_, Grundtvig, No. 109, A, st.

18-21, and _Kong Valdemar og hans Soster_, Grundtvig, No. 126, A, st.

101-105. See also _Edward_, and _Lord Donald_, p. 225, p. 244.

There was three ladies play'd at the ba', _With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_; There came a knight, and play'd o'er them a', _As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.

The eldest was baith tall and fair, 5 _With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_; But the youngest was beyond compare, _As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.

The midmost had a gracefu' mien, _With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_; 10 But the youngest look'd like beauty's queen, _As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.

The knight bow'd low to a' the three, _With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_; But to the youngest he bent his knee, 15 _As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.

The lady turned her head aside, _With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_; The knight he woo'd her to be his bride, _As the primrose spreads so sweetly_. 20

The lady blush'd a rosy red, _With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_; And said, "Sir knight, I'm o'er young to wed,"

_As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.

"O lady fair, give me your hand, 25 _With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_; And I'll mak you ladie of a' my land,"

_As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.

"Sir knight, ere you my favor win, _With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_; 30 Ye maun get consent frae a' my kin,"

_As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.

He has got consent fra her parents dear, _With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_; And likewise frae her sisters fair, 35 _As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.

He has got consent frae her kin each one, _With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_; But forgot to speer at her brother John, _As the primrose spreads so sweetly_. 40

Now, when the wedding day was come, _With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_; The knight would take his bonny bride home, _As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.

And many a lord and many a knight, 45 _With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_; Came to behold that lady bright, _As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.

And there was nae man that did her see, _With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_, 50 But wished himself bridegroom to be, _As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.

Her father dear led her down the stair, _With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay_; And her sisters twain they kiss'd her there, 55 _As the primrose spreads so sweetly_.