| 1 |
Lady Margery was the king's ae daughter,
But an the prince's heir; O
She's away to Strawberry Castle,
To learn some English lair. O |
| 2 |
She had not been in Strawberry Castle
A twelvemonth and a day
Till she's even as big wi child
As ever a lady could gae. |
| 3 |
Her father's to the cutting o the birks,
Her mother to the broom,
And a' for to get a bundle o sticks
To burn that fair lady in. |
| 4 |
'O hold your hand now, father dear,
O hold a little while,
For if my true-love be yet alive
I'll hear his bridle ring. |
| 5 |
'Where will I get a bonny boy,
That will win hoes and shoon,
That will run to Strawberry Castle
And tell my love to come?' |
| 6 |
She's called on her waiting-maid
To bring out bread and wine:
'Now eat and drink, my bonny boy,
Ye'll neer eat mair o mine.' |
| 7 |
Away that bonny boy he's gaen,
As fast as he could rin;
When he cam where grass grew green
Set down his feet and ran. |
| 8 |
And when he cam where brigs were broken
He bent his bow and swam;
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . . |
| 9 |
When he came to Strawberry Castle,
He lighted on the green;
Who was so ready as the noble lord
To rise and let the boy in! |
| 10 |
'What news? what new, my pretty page?
What tydings do ye bring?
Is my lady lighter yet
Of a daughter or a son?' |
| 11 |
'Bad news, bad news, my noble lord,
Bad tydings have I brung;
The fairest lady in a' Scotland
This day for you does burn.' |
| 12 |
He has mounted a stately steed
And he was bound to ride;
The silver buttons flew off his coat
And his nose began to bleed. |
| 13 |
The second steed that lord mounted
Stumbled at a stone;
'Alass! alass!' he cried with grief,
'My lady will be gone.' |
| 14 |
When he came from Strawberry Castle
He lighted boots and a';
He thought to have goten a kiss from her,
But her body fell in twa. |
| 15 |
For the sake o Lady Margery
He's cursed her father and mother,
For the sake o Lady Margery
He's cursed her sister and brother. |
| 16 |
And for the sake o Lady Margery
He's cursed all her kin;
He cried, Scotland is the ae warst place
That ever my fit was in! |
