Motherwell's Manuscript, p. 647. From the recitation of Mrs. Storie.
| 1 |
There was a knicht riding frae the east,
Sing the Cather banks, the bonnie brume
Wha had been wooing at monie a place.
And ye may beguile a young thing sune |
| 2 |
He came unto a widow's door,
Sing the Cather banks, the bonnie brume
And speird whare her three dochters were.
And ye may beguile a young thing sune |
| 3 |
The auldest ane's to a washing gane,
Sing the Cather banks, the bonnie brume
The second's to a baking gane.
And ye may beguile a young thing sune |
| 4 |
The youngest ane's to a wedding gane,
Sing the Cather banks, the bonnie brume
And it will be nicht or she be hame.
And ye may beguile a young thing sune |
| 5 |
He sat him doun upon a stane,
Sing the Cather banks, the bonnie brume
Till thir three lasses came tripping hame.
And ye may beguile a young thing sune |
| 6 |
The auldest ane's to the bed making,
Sing the Cather banks, the bonnie brume
And the second ane's to the sheet spreading.
And ye may beguile a young thing sune |
| 7 |
The youngest ane was bauld and bricht,
Sing the Cather banks, the bonnie brume
And she was to lye with this unco knicht.
And ye may beguile a young thing sune |
| 8 |
'Gin ye will answer me questions ten,
Sing the Cather banks, the bonnie brume
The morn ye sall be made my ain.
And ye may beguile a young thing sune |
| 9 |
'O what is heigher nor the tree?
Sing the Cather banks, the bonnie brume
And what is deeper nor the sea?
And ye may beguile a young thing sune |
| 10 |
'Or what is heavier nor the lead?
Sing the Cather banks, the bonnie brume
And what is better nor the breid?
And ye may beguile a young thing sune |
| 11 |
'O what is whiter nor the milk?
Sing the Cather banks, the bonnie brume
Or what is safter nor the silk?
And ye may beguile a young thing sune |
| 12 |
'Or what is sharper nor a thorn?
Sing the Cather banks, the bonnie brume
Or what is louder nor a horn?
And ye may beguile a young thing sune |
| 13 |
'Or what is greener nor the grass?
Sing the Cather banks, the bonnie brume
Or what is waur nor a woman was?'
And ye may beguile a young thing sune |
| 14 |
'O heaven is higher nor the tree,
Sing the Cather banks, the bonnie brume
And hell is deeper nor the sea.
And ye may beguile a young thing sune |
| 15 |
'O sin is heavier nor the lead,
Sing the Cather banks, the bonnie brume
The blessing's better nor the bread.
And ye may beguile a young thing sune |
| 16 |
'The snaw is whiter nor the milk,
Sing the Cather banks, the bonnie brume
And the down is safter nor the silk.
And ye may beguile a young thing sune |
| 17 |
'Hunger is sharper nor a thorn,
Sing the Cather banks, the bonnie brume
And shame is louder nor a horn.
And ye may beguile a young thing sune |
| 18 |
'The pies are greener nor the grass,
Sing the Cather banks, the bonnie brume
And Clootie's waur nor a woman was.'
And ye may beguile a young thing sune |
| 19 |
As sune as she the fiend did name,
Sing the Cather banks, the bonnie brume
He flew awa in a blazing flame.
And ye may beguile a young thing sune |
