| 1 |
There were three sisters in a bouir,
Eh down and Oh down
And the youngest o them was the fairest flour.
Eh down and O down |
| 2 |
And we began our seven years wark,
Eh down and Oh down
To sew our brither John a sark.
Eh down and O down |
| 3 |
When seven years was come and gane,
Eh down and Oh down
There was nae a sleeve in it but ane.
Eh down and O down |
| 4 |
But we coost kevils us amang
Eh down and Oh down
Wha wud to the green-wood gang.
Eh down and O down |
| 5 |
But tho we had coosten neer sae lang,
Eh down and Oh down
The lot it fell on me aye to gang.
Eh down and O down |
| 6 |
I was the youngest, and I was the fairest,
Eh down and Oh down
And alace! my wierd it was aye the sairest.
Eh down and O down |
| 7 |
. . .
Eh down and Oh down
Till I had to the woods to gae.
Eh down and O down |
| 8 |
To pull the cherrie and the slae,
Eh down and Oh down
And to seek our ae brither, we had nae mae.
Eh down and O down |
| 9 |
But as I was walking the leas o Lyne,
Eh down and Oh down
I met a youth gallant and fine;
Eh down and O down |
| 10 |
Wi milk white stockings and coal black shoon;
Eh down and Oh down
He seemed to be some gay lord's son.
Eh down and O down |
| 11 |
But he keepit me there sae lang, sae lang,
Eh down and Oh down
Till the maids in the morning were singing their sang.
Eh down and O down |
| 12 |
Would I wee or would I way,
Eh down and Oh down
He keepit me the lang simmer day.
Eh down and O down |
| 13 |
Would I way or would I wight,
Eh down and Oh down
He keepit me the simmer night.
Eh down and O down |
| 14 |
But guess what was at our parting?
Eh down and Oh down
A pair o grass green gloves and a gay gold ring.
Eh down and O down |
| 15 |
He gave me three plaits o his yellow hair,
Eh down and Oh down
In token that we might meet mair.
Eh down and O down |
| 16 |
But when nine months were come and gane,
Eh down and Oh down
This gallant lord cam back again.
Eh down and O down |
| 17 |
He's wed this lady, and taen her wi him;
Eh down and Oh down
But as they were riding the leas o Lyne,
Eh down and O down |
| 18 |
This lady was not able to ride,
Eh down and Oh down
. . .
Eh down and O down |
| 19 |
'O does thy saddle set thee aside?
Eh down and Oh down
Or does thy steed ony wrang way ride?
Eh down and O down |
| 20 |
'Or thinkst thou me too low a groom?
Eh down and Oh down
. . .
Eh down and O down |
| 21 |
'Or hast thou musing in thy mind
Eh down and Oh down
For the leaving of thy mother kind?'
Eh down and O down |
| 22 |
'My saddle it sets not me aside,
Eh down and Oh down
Nor does my steed ony wrang way ride.
Eh down and O down |
| 23 |
'Nor think I thee too low a groom
Eh down and Oh down
. . .
Eh down and O down |
| 24 |
'But I hae musing in my mind
Eh down and Oh down
For the leaving of my mother kind.'
Eh down and O down |
| 25 |
'I'll bring thee to a mother of mine,
Eh down and Oh down
As good a mother as eer was thine.'
Eh down and O down |
| 26 |
'A better mother she may be,
Eh down and Oh down
But an unco woman she'll prove to me.'
Eh down and O down |
| 27 |
But when lords and ladies at supper sat,
Eh down and Oh down
Her pains they struck her in the back.
Eh down and O down |
| 28 |
When lords and ladies were laid in bed,
Eh down and Oh down
Her pains they struck her in the side.
Eh down and O down |
| 29 |
'Rise up, rise up, now, Lord Brangwill,
Eh down and Oh down
For I'm wi child and you do not know't.'
Eh down and O down |
| 30 |
He took up his foot and gave her sic a bang
Eh down and Oh down
Till owre the bed the red blood sprang.
Eh down and O down |
| 31 |
He is up to his mother's ha,
Eh down and Oh down
Calling her as hard as he could ca.
Eh down and O down |
| 32 |
'I went through moss and I went through mure,
Eh down and Oh down
Thinking to get some lily flouir.
Eh down and O down |
| 33 |
. . .
Eh down and Oh down
'But to my house I have brocht a hure.
Eh down and O down |
| 34 |
'I thocht to have got a lady baith meek and mild,
Eh down and Oh down
But I've got a woman that's big wi child.'
Eh down and O down |
| 35 |
'O rest you here, Lord Brangwill,' she said,
Eh down and Oh down
'Till I relieve your lady that lyes so low.'
Eh down and O down |
| 36 |
'O daughter dear, will you tell to me
Eh down and Oh down
Who is the father of your babie?'
Eh down and O down |
| 37 |
'Yes, mother dear, I will tell thee
Eh down and Oh down
Who is the father of my babie.
Eh down and O down |
| 38 |
'As I was walking the leas o Lyne,
Eh down and Oh down
I met a youth gallant and fine;
Eh down and O down |
| 39 |
th milk-white stockings and coal-black shoon;
Eh down and Oh down
He seemed to be sum gay lord's son.
Eh down and O down |
| 40 |
'He keepit me sae lang, sae lang,
Eh down and Oh down
Till the maids in the morning were singing their sang.
Eh down and O down |
| 41 |
'Would I wee or would I way,
Eh down and Oh down
He keepit me the lang simmer day.
Eh down and O down |
| 42 |
'Would I way or would I wight,
Eh down and Oh down
He keepit me the simmer night.
Eh down and O down |
| 43 |
'But guess ye what was at our parting?
Eh down and Oh down
A pair of grass green gloves and a gay gold ring.
Eh down and O down |
| 44 |
'He gave me three plaits o his yellow hair,
Eh down and Oh down
In token that we might meet mair.'
Eh down and O down |
| 45 |
'O dochter dear, will ye show me
Eh down and Oh down
These tokens that he gave to thee?'
Eh down and O down |
| 46 |
'Altho my back should break in three,
Eh down and Oh down
Unto my coffer I must be.'
Eh down and O down |
| 47 |
'Thy back it shall not break in three,
Eh down and Oh down
For I'll bring thy coffer to thy knee.'
Eh down and O down |
| 48 |
Aye she coost, and aye she flang,
Eh down and Oh down
Till these three tokens came to her hand.
Eh down and O down |
| 49 |
Then she is up to her sons's ha,
Eh down and Oh down
Calling him hard as she could ca.
Eh down and O down |
| 50 |
'O son, O son, will you tell me
Eh down and Oh down
. . .
Eh down and O down |
| 51 |
'What ye did wi the grass green gloves and gay gold ring
Eh down and Oh down
That ye gat at your own birth-een?'
Eh down and O down |
| 52 |
'I gave them to as pretty a may
Eh down and Oh down
As ever I saw in a simmer day.
Eh down and O down |
| 53 |
'I wud rather than a' my lands sae broad
Eh down and Oh down
That I had her as sure as eer I had.
Eh down and O down |
| 54 |
'I would rather than a' my lands sae free
Eh down and Oh down
I had her here this night wi me.'
Eh down and O down |
| 55 |
'I wish you good o your lands sae broad,
Eh down and Oh down
For ye have her as sure as eer ye had.
Eh down and O down |
| 56 |
'I wish ye good o your lands sae free,
Eh down and Oh down
For ye have her here this night wi thee.'
Eh down and O down |
| 57 |
'Gar wash my auld son in the milk,
Eh down and Oh down
Gar deck my lady's bed wi silk.'
Eh down and O down |
| 58 |
He gave his auld son kisses three,
Eh down and Oh down
But he doubled them a' to his gay ladye.
Eh down and O down |
