| 1 |
Oh did ye ever hear o brave Earl Bran?
Ay lally, o lilly lally
He courted the king's daughter of fair England.
All i the night sae early |
| 2 |
She was scarcely fifteen years of age
Ay lally, o lilly lally
Till sae boldly she came to his bedside.
All i the night sae early |
| 3 |
'O Earl Bran, fain wad I see
Ay lally, o lilly lally
A pack of hounds let loose on the lea.'
All i the night sae early |
| 4 |
'O lady, I have no steeds but one,
Ay lally, o lilly lally
And thou shalt ride, and I will run.'
All i the night sae early |
| 5 |
'O Earl Bran, my father has two,
Ay lally, o lilly lally
And thou shall have the best o them a.'
All i the night sae early |
| 6 |
They have ridden oer moss and moor,
Ay lally, o lilly lally
And they met neither rich nor poor.
All i the night sae early |
| 7 |
Until they met with old Carl Hood;
Ay lally, o lilly lally
He comes for ill, but never for good.
All i the night sae early |
| 8 |
'Earl Bran, if ye love me,
Ay lally, o lilly lally
Seize this old carl, and gar him die.'
All i the night sae early |
| 9 |
'O lady fair, it wad be sair,
Ay lally, o lilly lally
To slay an old man that has grey hair.
All i the night sae early |
| 10 |
'O lady fair, I'll no do sae;
Ay lally, o lilly lally
I'll gie him a pound, and let him gae.'
All i the night sae early |
| 11 |
'O where hae ye ridden this lee lang day?
Ay lally, o lilly lally
Or where hae ye stolen this lady away?'
All i the night sae early |
| 12 |
'I have not ridden this lee lang day.
Ay lally, o lilly lally
Nor yet have I stolen this lady away.
All i the night sae early |
| 13 |
'She is my only, my sick sister,
Ay lally, o lilly lally
Whom I have brought from Winchester.'
All i the night sae early |
| 14 |
'If she be sick, and like to dead,
Ay lally, o lilly lally
Why wears she the ribbon sae red?
All i the night sae early |
| 15 |
'If she be sick, and like to die,
Ay lally, o lilly lally
Then why wears she the gold on high?'
All i the night sae early |
| 16 |
When he came to his lady's gate,
Ay lally, o lilly lally
Sae rudely as he rapped at it.
All i the night sae early |
| 17 |
'O where's the lady o this ha?'
Ay lally, o lilly lally
'She's out with her maids to play at the ba.
All i the night sae early |
| 18 |
'Ha, ha, ha! ye are a' mistaen:
Ay lally, o lilly lally
Gae count your maidens oer again.
All i the night sae early |
| 19 |
'I saw her far beyond the moor,
Ay lally, o lilly lally
Away to be the Earl o Bran's whore.'
All i the night sae early |
| 20 |
The father armed fifteen of his best men,
Ay lally, o lilly lally
To bring his daughter back again.
All i the night sae early |
| 21 |
Oer her left shoulder the lady looked then:
Ay lally, o lilly lally
'O Earl Bran, we both are tane.'
All i the night sae early |
| 22 |
'If they come on me ane by ane,
Ay lally, o lilly lally
Ye may stand by and see them slain.
All i the night sae early |
| 23 |
'But if they come on me one and all,
Ay lally, o lilly lally
Ye may stand by and see me fall.'
All i the night sae early |
| 24 |
They have come on him ane by ane,
Ay lally, o lilly lally
And he has killed them all but ane.
All i the night sae early |
| 25 |
And that ane came behind his back,
Ay lally, o lilly lally
And he's gien him a deadly whack.
All i the night sae early |
| 26 |
But for a' sae wounded as Earl Bran was,
Ay lally, o lilly lally
He has set his lady on her horse.
All i the night sae early |
| 27 |
They rode till they came to the water o Doune,
Ay lally, o lilly lally
And then he alighted to wash his wounds.
All i the night sae early |
| 28 |
'O Earl Bran, I see your heart's blood!'
Ay lally, o lilly lally
'Tis but the gleat o my scarlet hood.'
All i the night sae early |
| 29 |
They rode till they came to his mother's gate,
Ay lally, o lilly lally
And sae rudely as he rapped at it.
All i the night sae early |
| 30 |
'O my son's slain, my son's put down,
Ay lally, o lilly lally
And a' for the sake of an English loun.'
All i the night sae early |
| 31 |
'O say not sae, my dear mother,
Ay lally, o lilly lally
But marry her to my youngest brother.
All i the night sae early
* * * * * |
| 32 |
'This has not been the death o ane,
Ay lally, o lilly lally
But it's been that of fair seventeen.'
All i the night sae early
* * * * * |
