Buchan's Manuscripts, I, 57;
Motherwell's Manuscript, p. 662.
| 1 |
There were twa brothers in the east,
Went to the school o Ayr;
The one unto the other did say,
Come let us wrestle here. |
| 2 |
They wrestled up and wrestled down,
Till John fell to the ground;
There being a knife in Willie's pocket,
Gae John his deadly wound. |
| 3 |
'O is it for my gold, brother?
Or for my white monie?
Or is it for my lands sae braid,
That ye hae killed me?' |
| 4 |
'It is not for your gold,' he said,
'Nor for your white monie;
It is by the hand o accident
That I hae killed thee.' |
| 5 |
'Ye'll take the shirt that's on my back,
Rive it frae gair to gair,
And try to stop my bloody wounds,
For they bleed wonderous sair.' |
| 6 |
He's taen the shirt was on his back,
Reave it frae gare to gare,
And tried to stop his bleeding wounds,
But still they bled the mair. |
| 7 |
'Ye'll take me up upon your back,
Carry me to yon water clear,
And try to stop my bloody wounds,
For they run wonderous sair.' |
| 8 |
He's taen him up upon his back,
Carried him to yon water clear,
And tried to stop his bleeding wounds,
But still they bled the mair. |
| 9 |
'Ye'll take me up upon your back,
Carry me to yon church-yard;
Ye'll dig a grave baith wide and deep,
And then ye'll lay me there. |
| 10 |
'Ye'll put a head-stane at my head,
Another at my feet,
Likewise a sod on my breast-bane,
The souner I may sleep. |
| 11 |
'Whenever my father asks of thee,
Saying, What's become of John?
Ye'll tell frae me, I'm ower the sea,
For a cargo of good wine. |
| 12 |
'And when my sweetheart asks of thee,
Saying, What's become of John?
Ye'll tell frae me, I'm ower the sea,
To buy a wedding gown. |
| 13 |
'And when my sister asks of thee,
Saying, William, where is John?
Ye'll tell frae me, I'm ower the sea,
To learn some merry sang. |
| 14 |
'And when my mother asks of thee,
Saying, William, where is John?
Tell her I'm buried in green Fordland,
The grass growing ower my tomb.' |
| 15 |
He's taen him up upon his back,
Carried him to yon church-yard,
And dug a grave baith wide and deep,
And he was buried there. |
| 16 |
He laid a head-stane at his head,
Another at his feet,
And laid a green sod on his breast,
The souner he might sleep. |
| 17 |
His father asked when he came hame,
Saying, 'William, where is John?'
Then John said, 'He is ower the sea,
To bring you hame some wine.' |
| 18 |
'What blood is this upon you, William,
And looks sae red on thee?'
'It is the blood o my grey-hound,
He woudna run for me.' |
| 19 |
'O that's nae like your grey-hound's blude,
William, that I do see;
I fear it is your own brother's blood
That looks sae red on thee.' |
| 20 |
'That is not my own brother's blude,
Father, that ye do see;
It is the blood o my good grey steed,
He woudna carry me.' |
| 21 |
'O that is nae your grey steed's blude,
William, that I do see;
It is the blood o your brother John,
That looks sae red on thee.' |
| 22 |
'It's nae the blood o my brother John,
Father, that ye do see;
It is the blude o my good grey hawk,
Because he woudna flee.' |
| 23 |
'O that is nae your grey hawk's blood,
William, that I do see:'
'Well, it's the blude o my brother,
This country I maun flee.' |
| 24 |
'O when will ye come back again,
My dear son, tell to me?'
'When sun and moon gae three times round,
And this will never be.' |
| 25 |
'Ohon, alas! now William, my son,
This is bad news to me;
Your brother's death I'll aye bewail,
And the absence o thee.' |
