Motherwell's Manuscript, p. 174.
From the recitation of Agnes Kilbarchan, July 27, 1825.
| 1 |
There were three sisters, they lived in a bower,
Sing Anna, sing Margaret, sing Marjorie
The youngest o them was the fairest flower.
And the dew goes thro the wood, gay ladie |
| 2 |
The oldest of them she's to the wood gane,
Sing Anna, sing Margaret, sing Marjorie
To seek a braw leaf and to bring it hame.
And the dew goes thro the wood, gay ladie |
| 3 |
There she met with an outlyer bold,
Sing Anna, sing Margaret, sing Marjorie
Lies many long nights in the woods so cold.
And the dew goes thro the wood, gay ladie |
| 4 |
'Istow a maid, or istow a wife?
Sing Anna, sing Margaret, sing Marjorie
Wiltow twinn with thy maidenhead, or thy sweet life?'
And the dew goes thro the wood, gay ladie |
| 5 |
'O kind sir, if I hae't at my will,
Sing Anna, sing Margaret, sing Marjorie
I'll twinn with my life, keep my maidenhead still.'
And the dew goes thro the wood, gay ladie |
| 6 |
He's taen out his we pen-knife,
Sing Anna, sing Margaret, sing Marjorie
He's twinned this young lady of her sweet life
And the dew goes thro the wood, gay ladie |
| 7 |
He wiped his knife along the dew;
Sing Anna, sing Margaret, sing Marjorie
But the more he wiped, the redder it grew.
And the dew goes thro the wood, gay ladie |
| 8 |
The second of them she's to the wood gane,
Sing Anna, sing Margaret, sing Marjorie
To seek her old sister, and to bring her hame.
And the dew goes thro the wood, gay ladie |
| 9 |
There she met with an outlyer bold,
Sing Anna, sing Margaret, sing Marjorie
Lies many long nights in the woods so cold.
And the dew goes thro the wood, gay ladie |
| 10 |
'Istow a maid, or istow a wife?
Sing Anna, sing Margaret, sing Marjorie
Wiltow twinn with thy maidenhead, or thy sweet life?'
And the dew goes thro the wood, gay ladie |
| 11 |
'O kind sir, if I hae't at my will,
Sing Anna, sing Margaret, sing Marjorie
I'll twinn with my life, keep my maidenhead still.'
And the dew goes thro the wood, gay ladie |
| 12 |
He's taen out his we pen-knife,
Sing Anna, sing Margaret, sing Marjorie
He's twinned this young lady of her sweet life.
And the dew goes thro the wood, gay ladie |
| 13 |
He wiped his knife along the dew;
Sing Anna, sing Margaret, sing Marjorie
But the more he wiped, the redder it grew.
And the dew goes thro the wood, gay ladie |
| 14 |
The youngest of them she's to the wood gane,
Sing Anna, sing Margaret, sing Marjorie
To seek her two sisters, and to bring them hame.
And the dew goes thro the wood, gay ladie |
| 15 |
There she met with an outlyer bold,
Sing Anna, sing Margaret, sing Marjorie
Lies many long nights in the woods so cold.
And the dew goes thro the wood, gay ladie |
| 16 |
'Istow a maid, or istow a wife?
Sing Anna, sing Margaret, sing Marjorie
Wiltow twinn with thy maidenhead, or thy sweet life?'
And the dew goes thro the wood, gay ladie |
| 17 |
'If my three brethren they were here,
Sing Anna, sing Margaret, sing Marjorie
Such questions as these thou durst nae speer.'
And the dew goes thro the wood, gay ladie |
| 18 |
'Pray, what may thy three brethren be,
Sing Anna, sing Margaret, sing Marjorie
That I durst na mak so bold with thee?'
And the dew goes thro the wood, gay ladie |
| 19 |
'The eldest o them is a minister bred,
Sing Anna, sing Margaret, sing Marjorie
He teaches the people from evil to good.
And the dew goes thro the wood, gay ladie |
| 20 |
'The second o them is a ploughman good,
Sing Anna, sing Margaret, sing Marjorie
He ploughs the land for his livelihood.
And the dew goes thro the wood, gay ladie |
| 21 |
'The youngest of them is an outlyer bold,
Sing Anna, sing Margaret, sing Marjorie
Lies many a long night in the woods so cold.'
And the dew goes thro the wood, gay ladie |
| 22 |
He stuck his knife then into the ground,
Sing Anna, sing Margaret, sing Marjorie
He took a long race, let himself fall on.
And the dew goes thro the wood, gay ladie |
