Buchan's Ancient Ballads and Songs of the North
of Scotland, I, 204.
| 1 |
We were sisters, sisters seven,
Bowing down, bowing down
The fairest women under heaven.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 2 |
They kiest kevels them amang,
Bowing down, bowing down
Wha woud to the grenewood gang.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 3 |
The kevels they gied thro the ha,
Bowing down, bowing down
And on the youngest it did fa.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 4 |
Now she must to the grenewood gang,
Bowing down, bowing down
To pu the nuts in grenewood hang.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 5 |
She hadna tarried an hour but ane
Bowing down, bowing down
Till she met wi a highlan groom.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 6 |
He keeped her sae late and lang
Bowing down, bowing down
Till the evening set and birds they sang.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 7 |
He gae to her at their parting
Bowing down, bowing down
A chain o gold and gay gold ring;
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 8 |
And three locks o his yellow hair;
Bowing down, bowing down
Bade her keep them for evermair.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 9 |
When six lang months were come and gane.
Bowing down, bowing down
A courtier to this lady came.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 10 |
Lord Dingwall courted this lady gay,
Bowing down, bowing down
And so he set their wedding-day.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 11 |
A little boy to the ha was sent,
Bowing down, bowing down
To bring her horse was his intent.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 12 |
As she was riding the way along,
Bowing down, bowing down
She began to make a heavy moan.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 13 |
'What ails you, lady,' the boy said,
Bowing down, bowing down
'That ye seem sae dissatisfied?
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 14 |
'Are the bridle reins for you too strong?
Bowing down, bowing down
Or the stirrups for you too long?'
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 15 |
'But, little boy, will ye tell me
Bowing down, bowing down
The fashions that are in your countrie?'
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 16 |
'The fashions in our ha I'll tell,
Bowing down, bowing down
And o them a' I'll warn you well.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 17 |
'When ye come in upon the floor,
Bowing down, bowing down
His mither will meet you wi a golden chair.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 18 |
'But be ye maid or be ye nane,
Bowing down, bowing down
Unto the high seat make ye boun.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 19 |
'Lord Dingwall aft has been beguild
Bowing down, bowing down
By girls whom young men hae defiled.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 20 |
'He's cutted the paps frae their breast-bane,
Bowing down, bowing down
And sent them back to their ain hame.'
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 21 |
When she came in upon the floor,
Bowing down, bowing down
His mother met her wi a golden chair.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 22 |
But to the high seat she made her boun:
Bowing down, bowing down
She knew that maiden she was nane.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 23 |
When night was come, they went to bed,
Bowing down, bowing down
And ower her breast his arm he laid.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 24 |
He quickly jumped upon the floor,
Bowing down, bowing down
And said, 'I've got a vile rank whore.'
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 25 |
Unto his mother he made his moan,
Bowing down, bowing down
Says, 'Mother dear, I am undone.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 26 |
'Ye've aft tald, when I brought them hame,
Bowing down, bowing down
Whether they were maid or nane.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 27 |
'I thought I'd gotten a maiden bright;
Bowing down, bowing down
I've gotten but a waefu wight.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 28 |
'I thought I'd gotten a maiden clear,
Bowing down, bowing down
But gotten but a vile rank whore.'
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 29 |
'When she came in upon the floor,
Bowing down, bowing down
I met her wi a golden chair.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 30 |
'But to the high seat she made her boun,
Bowing down, bowing down
Because a maiden she was nane.'
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 31 |
'I wonder wha's tauld that gay ladie
Bowing down, bowing down
The fashion into our countrie.'
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 32 |
'It is your little boy I blame,
Bowing down, bowing down
Whom ye did send to bring her hame.'
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 33 |
Then to the lady she did go,
Bowing down, bowing down
And said, 'O Lady, let me know
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 34 |
'Who has defiled your fair bodie:
Bowing down, bowing down
Ye're the first that has beguiled me.'
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 35 |
'O we were sisters, sisters seven,
Bowing down, bowing down
The fairest women under heaven.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 36 |
'And we kiest kevels us amang,
Bowing down, bowing down
Wha woud to the grenewood gang;
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 37 |
'For to pu the finest flowers,
Bowing down, bowing down
To put around our summer bowers.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 38 |
'I was the youngest o them a';
Bowing down, bowing down
The hardest fortune did me befa.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 39 |
'Unto the grenewood I did gang,
Bowing down, bowing down
And pu'd the nuts as they down hang.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 40 |
'I hadna stayd an hour but ane
Bowing down, bowing down
Till I met wi a highlan groom.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 41 |
'He keeped me sae late and lang
Bowing down, bowing down
Till the evening set and birds they sang.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 42 |
'He gae to me at our parting
Bowing down, bowing down
A chain of gold and gay gold ring;
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 43 |
'And three locks o his yellow hair;
Bowing down, bowing down
Bade me keep them for evermair.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 44 |
'Then for to show I make nae lie,
Bowing down, bowing down
Look ye my trunk, and ye will see.'
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 45 |
Unto the trunk then she did go,
Bowing down, bowing down
To see if that were true or no.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 46 |
And aye she sought, and aye she flang,
Bowing down, bowing down
Till these four things came to her hand.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 47 |
Then she did to her ain son go,
Bowing down, bowing down
And said, 'My son, ye'll let me know,
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 48 |
'Ye will tell to me this thing:
Bowing down, bowing down
What did you wi my wedding-ring?'
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 49 |
'Mother dear, I'll tell nae lie:
Bowing down, bowing down
I gave it to a gay ladie.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 50 |
'I would gie a' my ha's and towers,
Bowing down, bowing down
I had this bird within my bowers.'
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 51 |
'Keep well, keep well your lands and strands;
Bowing down, bowing down
Ye hae that bird within your hands.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 52 |
'Now, my son, to your bower ye'll go:
Bowing down, bowing down
Comfort your ladie, she's full o woe.'
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 53 |
Now when nine months were come and gane,
Bowing down, bowing down
The lady she brought hame a son.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 54 |
It was written on his breast-bane
Bowing down, bowing down
Lord Dingwall was his father's name.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 55 |
He's taen his young son in his arms,
Bowing down, bowing down
And aye he praisd his lovely charms.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
| 56 |
And he has gien him kisses three,
Bowing down, bowing down
And doubled them ower to his ladie.
And aye the birks a-bowing |
