Scots ballad-makers seem to have been fascinated by the theme
of incest. "Lizie Wan" (Child 51), "The King's Dochter Lady Jean
(Child 52) and "Sheath and Knife" (Child 16, see BLOOD AND ROSES
Vol, 5) all bear witness to this preoccupation. "The Bonny Hind"
has none of the grandeur of "Lizie Wan" or "Sheath and Knife":
the tragedy is muted and pathos substitutes for the wild anguish
of those ballads. Nevertheless, the pathos is never allowed to
descend into mawkishness. That part of the story which describes
a young man discovering a sister in the girl he has just ravished
is also found in a Faroese balland, and Finnish and Icelandic
versions have been collected.
| 1 |
O lane she stands and lane she gangs
Doon by yon gairdens green,
And there she saw the brawest young man
That she had ever seen, |
alone, goes
most handsome |
| 2 |
O lane she stands and lane she gangs
Doon by yon hollin tree;
And there she saw this braw young man,
A brisk young squire was he. |
holly tree |
| 3 |
Gie me your green manteel, he said
And the kerchie' fae your heid;
Gif ye dinnae gie me your green manteel
I'll tak' your maidenheid. |
give, mantle
kerchief
if |
| 4 |
He's ta'en her by the milk-white haund
And gently laid her doom,
And when he's ta'en his will a' her,
Gi'en her a siller kaim. |
silver comb |
| 5 |
And what if there's a bairn, kind sir,
And what if there are name?
Gif ye come fae the king's high court
You'll tell to me your name. |
baby
from |
| 6 |
I dinnae come fae the king's high court,
I'm new come fae the sea,
I never was a courtier, lass,
But when I courted thee. |
|
| 7 |
When I'm abroad they ca' me Jaick
And whiles they ca' me John,
But when I'm at hame in my faither's ha',
Jock Randal is my name. |
sometimes |
| 8 |
Ye lee, ye lee, ye fause, fause chiel
Sae loud's I hear ye lee;
For I'm Lord Randal's ae dochter
He got nae mair but me, |
lie, false, man
only daughter |
| 9 |
Ye lee, ye lee. my bonnie may
Sae loud's I hear ye lee;
For I'm Lord Randal's only son,
Just new come fae the sea. |
maid |
| 10 |
She's putten her hand doon by her gair *
Ta'en oot a wee pen-knife,
And putten it in her ain hairt's blood
And ta'en awa' her life. |
own |
| 11 |
And he's ta'en up the bonnie may,
The saut tears blint his e'en,
And he has buried his bonnie sister
Below the hollins green. |
blinded his eyes |
| 12 |
Then he has gene to his faither's ha',
His faither for to see;
Sing, O and O for yon bonnie hind
Below yon hollin tree. |
female deer |
| 13 |
What needs ye greet for your bonnie hind?
For it ye need nae care;
There's eight-score hinds in yonder park,
And five-score hinds to spare. |
|
| 14 |
Four-score o' them are siller shod
O' them you may tak' three;
But aye he grat for the bonnie hind
Below yon hollin tree. |
silver
always, wept |
| 15 |
What needs ye greet for your bonnie hind?
For it ye need nee cure;
Tak' ye the best, leave me the worst,
Since plenty is to spare. |
weep |
| 16 |
I care nae for your hinds, faither,
I care nae for your fee,
But O and O, for my bonnie hind
Below the hollin tree. |
|
| 17 |
Gin ye were at your sister's bower
Your sister fair to see,
Ye'd think nee mair o' your bonnie hind
Below the hollin tree. |
if |
