Ed de Moel

Child Ballads - Lyrics

Child 2
The Elfin Knight
Version C

Kinloch's A. S. Ballads, p. 145. From the recitation of M. Kinnear, a native of Mearnsshire, 23 Aug., 1826.

Narrative

1   There stands a knicht at the tap o yon hill,
      Oure the hills and far awa
He has blawn his horn loud and shill.
      The cauld wind's blawn my plaid awa
2   'If I had the horn that I hear blawn,
      Oure the hills and far awa
And the knicht that blaws that horn!'
      The cauld wind's blawn my plaid awa
3   She had na sooner thae words said,
      Oure the hills and far awa
Than the elfin knicht cam to her side.
      The cauld wind's blawn my plaid awa
4   'Are na ye oure young a may
      Oure the hills and far awa
Wi onie young man doun to lie?'
      The cauld wind's blawn my plaid awa
5   'I have a sister younger than I,
      Oure the hills and far awa
And she was married yesterday.'
      The cauld wind's blawn my plaid awa
6   'Married wi me ye sall neer be nane
      Oure the hills and far awa
Till ye mak to me a sark but a seam.
      The cauld wind's blawn my plaid awa
7   'And ye maun shape it knife-,sheer-less,
      Oure the hills and far awa
And ye maun sew it needle-, threed-less.
      The cauld wind's blawn my plaid awa
8   'And ye maun wash it in yon cistran,
      Oure the hills and far awa
Whare water never stood nor ran.
      The cauld wind's blawn my plaid awa
9   'And ye maun dry it on yon hawthorn,
      Oure the hills and far awa
Whare the sun neer shon sin man was born.'
      The cauld wind's blawn my plaid awa
10   'Gin that courtesie I do for thee,
      Oure the hills and far awa
Ye maun do this for me.
      The cauld wind's blawn my plaid awa
11   'Ye'll get an acre o gude red-land
      Oure the hills and far awa
Atween the saut sea and the sand.
      The cauld wind's blawn my plaid awa
12   'I want that land for to be corn,
      Oure the hills and far awa
And ye maun aer it wi your horn.
      The cauld wind's blawn my plaid awa
13   'And ye maun saw it without a seed,
      Oure the hills and far awa
And ye maun harrow it wi a threed.
      The cauld wind's blawn my plaid awa
14   'And ye maun shear it wi your knife,
      Oure the hills and far awa
And na tyne a pickle o't for your life.
      The cauld wind's blawn my plaid awa
15   'And ye maun moue it in yon mouse-hole
      Oure the hills and far awa
And ye maun thrash it in your shoe-sole.
      The cauld wind's blawn my plaid awa
16   'And ye maun fan it wi your luves,
      Oure the hills and far awa
And ye maun sack it in your gloves.
      The cauld wind's blawn my plaid awa
17   'And ye maun bring it oure the sea,
      Oure the hills and far awa
Fair and clean and dry to me.
      The cauld wind's blawn my plaid awa
18   'And whan that your wark is weill deen,
      Oure the hills and far awa
Yese get your sark without a seam.'
      The cauld wind's blawn my plaid awa
Addition in Volume 1[1]Addition in Volume 1

This page most recently updated on 06-Jun-2011, 16:25:54.
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