Motherwell's Manuscript, p. 142.
| 1 |
'O what is higher than the trees?
Gar lay the bent to the bonny broom
And what is deeper than the seas?
And you may beguile a fair maid soon |
| 2 |
'O what is whiter than the milk?
Gar lay the bent to the bonny broom
Or what is softer than the silk?
And you may beguile a fair maid soon |
| 3 |
'O what is sharper than the thorn?
Gar lay the bent to the bonny broom
O what is louder than the horn?
And you may beguile a fair maid soon |
| 4 |
'O what is longer than the way?
Gar lay the bent to the bonny broom
And what is colder than the clay?
And you may beguile a fair maid soon |
| 5 |
'O what is greener than the grass?
Gar lay the bent to the bonny broom
And what is worse than woman was?'
And you may beguile a fair maid soon |
| 6 |
'O heaven's higher than the trees,
Gar lay the bent to the bonny broom
And hell is deeper than the seas.
And you may beguile a fair maid soon |
| 7 |
'And snow is whiter than the milk,
Gar lay the bent to the bonny broom
And love is softer than the silk.
And you may beguile a fair maid soon |
| 8 |
'O hunger's sharper than the thorn,
Gar lay the bent to the bonny broom
And thunder's louder than the horn.
And you may beguile a fair maid soon |
| 9 |
'O wind is longer than the way,
Gar lay the bent to the bonny broom
And death is colder than the clay.
And you may beguile a fair maid soon |
| 10 |
'O poison's greener than the grass,
Gar lay the bent to the bonny broom
And the Devil's worse than eer woman was.'
And you may beguile a fair maid soon |
