A Collection of Curious Old Ballads, etc., p. 3. Partly from
an old copy in black letter, and partly from the recitation of an
old lady.
| |
My plaid awa, my plaid awa,
And owre the hills and far awa,
And far awa to Norrowa,
My plaid shall not be blawn awa. |
| 1 |
The Elphin knight sits on yon hill,
Ba, ba, ba, lillie ba
He blaws his horn baith loud and shrill.
The wind hath blawn my plaid awa |
| 2 |
He blaws it east, he blaws it west,
Ba, ba, ba, lillie ba
He blaws it where he liketh best.
The wind hath blawn my plaid awa |
| 3 |
'I wish that horn were in my kist,
Ba, ba, ba, lillie ba
Yea, and the knight in my arms niest.'
The wind hath blawn my plaid awa |
| 4 |
She had no sooner these words said,
Ba, ba, ba, lillie ba
Than the knight came to her bed.
The wind hath blawn my plaid awa |
| 5 |
'Thou art oer young a maid,' quoth he,
Ba, ba, ba, lillie ba
'Married with me that thou wouldst be.'
The wind hath blawn my plaid awa |
| 6 |
'I have a sister, younger than I,
Ba, ba, ba, lillie ba
And she was married yesterday.'
The wind hath blawn my plaid awa |
| 7 |
'Married with me if thou wouldst be,
Ba, ba, ba, lillie ba
A curtisie thou must do to me.
The wind hath blawn my plaid awa |
| 8 |
'It's ye maun mak a sark to me,
Ba, ba, ba, lillie ba
Without any cut or seam,' quoth he.
The wind hath blawn my plaid awa |
| 9 |
'And ye maun shape it, knife-, sheerless,
Ba, ba, ba, lillie ba
And also sew it needle-, threedless.'
The wind hath blawn my plaid awa |
| 10 |
'If that piece of courtisie I do to thee,
Ba, ba, ba, lillie ba
Another thou must do to me.
The wind hath blawn my plaid awa |
| 11 |
'I have an aiker of good ley land,
Ba, ba, ba, lillie ba
Which lyeth low by yon sea strand.
The wind hath blawn my plaid awa |
| 12 |
'It's ye maun till't wi your touting horn,
Ba, ba, ba, lillie ba
And ye maun saw't wi the pepper corn.
The wind hath blawn my plaid awa |
| 13 |
'And ye maun harrow't wi a thorn,
Ba, ba, ba, lillie ba
And hae your wark done ere the morn.
The wind hath blawn my plaid awa |
| 14 |
'And ye maun shear it wi your knife,
Ba, ba, ba, lillie ba
And no lose a stack o 't for your life.
The wind hath blawn my plaid awa |
| 15 |
'And ye maun stack it in a mouse hole,
Ba, ba, ba, lillie ba
And ye maun thrash it in your shoe sole.
The wind hath blawn my plaid awa |
| 16 |
'And ye maun dight it in your loof,
Ba, ba, ba, lillie ba
And also sack it in your glove.
The wind hath blawn my plaid awa |
| 17 |
'And thou must bring it over the sea,
Ba, ba, ba, lillie ba
Fair and clean and dry to me.
The wind hath blawn my plaid awa |
| 18 |
'And when that ye have done your wark,
Ba, ba, ba, lillie ba
Come back to me, and ye'll get your sark.'
The wind hath blawn my plaid awa |
| 19 |
'I'll not quite my plaid for my life;
Ba, ba, ba, lillie ba
It haps my seven bairns and my wife.'
The wind hath blawn my plaid awa |
| 20 |
'My maidenhead I'll then keep still,
Ba, ba, ba, lillie ba
Let the elphin knight do what he will.
The wind hath blawn my plaid awa |
