"A fragment of Young Tamlane," Kinloch Manuscripts, V, 391. In
Dr. John Hill Burton's handwriting, and perhaps from the
recitation of Mrs. Robertson (Christian Leslie), mother of Dr.
Joseph Robertson.
| 1 |
* * * *
'The night, the night is Halloween,
Tommorow's Hallowday,
. . . . . .
. . . . . . |
| 2 |
'The night, the night is Halloween,
Our seely court maun ride,
Thro England and thro Ireland both,
And a' the warld wide.
* * * * * |
| 3 |
'The firsten court that comes ye bye,
You'll lout, and let them gae;
The seconden court that comes you bye,
You'll hail them reverently. |
| 4 |
'The thirden court that comes you by,
Sae weel's ye will me ken,
For some will be on a black, a black,
And some will be on a brown,
But I will be on a bluid-red steed,
And will ride neist the queen. |
| 5 |
'The thirden court that comes you bye,
Sae weel's ye will me ken,
For I'll be on a bluid-red steed,
Wi three stars on his crown. |
| 6 |
'Ye'll tak the horse head in yer hand,
And grip the bridle fast;
The Queen o Elfin will gie a cry,
'True Tamas is stown awa!' |
| 7 |
'And I will grow in your twa hands
And adder and an eel;
But the grip ye get ye'll hold it fast,
I'll be father to yer chiel. |
| 8 |
'I will wax in your twa hans
As hot as any coal;
But if you love me as you say,
You'll think of me and thole. |
| 9 |
'O I will grow in your twa hands
An adder and a snake;
The grip ye get now hold it fast,
And I'll be your world's mait. |
| 10 |
'O I'll gae in at your gown sleeve,
And out at your gown hem,
And I'll stand up before thee then
A freely naked man. |
| 11 |
'O I'll gae in at your gown sleeve,
And out at your gown hem,
And I'll stand before you then,
But claithing I'll hae nane. |
| 12 |
'Ye'll do you down to Carden's Ha,
And down to Carden's stream,
And there you'll see our seely court,
As they come riding hame.'
* * * * * |
| 13 |
'It's nae wonder, my daughter Janet,
Ture Tammas ye thought on;
An he were a woman as he's a man,
My bedfellow he should be.' |
