| 1 |
Willie was an earl's ae son,
And an earl's ae son was he,
But he thought his father lack to sair,
And his mother of low degree. |
| 2 |
But he is on to fair England,
To sair for meat an fee,
And all was for Dame Oliphant,
A woman of great beauty. |
| 3 |
He hadna been in fair England
A month but barely ane,
Ere he dreamd that fair Dame Oliphant
Gied him a gay gold ring. |
| 4 |
He hadna been in fair England
A month but barely four,
Ere he dreamd that fair Dame Oliphant
Gied him a red rose flower,
Well set about with white lilies,
Like to the paramour. |
| 5 |
It fell ance upon a day
Dame Oliphant thought lang,
And she gaed on to good green wood,
As fast as she could gang. |
| 6 |
As Willie stood in his chamber-door,
And as he thought it good,
There he beheld Dame Oliphant,
As she came thro the wood. |
| 7 |
He's taen his bow his arm oer,
His sword into his hand,
And he is on to good green wood,
As fast as he could gang. |
| 8 |
And there he found Dame Oliphant,
Was lying sound asleep,
And aye the sounder she did sleep
The nearer he did creep. |
| 9 |
But when she wakend from her sleep
An angry maid was she,
Crying, Had far away frae me, young man,
Had far away frae me!
For I fear ye are the Scottish knight
That beguiles young ladies free. |
| 10 |
'I am not the Scottish knight,
Nor ever thinks to be;
I am but Willie o Douglass Dale,
That serves for meat an fee.' |
| 11 |
'If ye be Willie o Douglass Dale,
Ye're dearly welcome to me;
For oft in my sleep have I thought on
You and your merry winking ee.' |
| 12 |
But the cocks they crew, and the horns blew,
And the lions took the hill,
And Willie he gaed hame again,
To his hard task and till;
And likewise did Dame Oliphant,
To her book and her seam. |
| 13 |
Till it fell ance upon a day
Dame Oliphant thought lang,
And she went on to Willie's bower-yates,
As fast as she could gang. |
| 14 |
'O are ye asleep now, Squire Willie?
O are you asleep?' said she;
O waken, waken, Squire Willie,
O waken, and speak to me. |
| 15 |
'For the gowns that were oer wide, Willie,
They winna meet on me,
And the coats that were oer side, Willie,
They winna come to my knee;
And if the knights of my father's court get word,
I'm sure they'll gar you die.'
* * * * * |
| 16 |
But she's taen a web of the scarlet,
And she tare it fine an sma,
And even into Willie's arms
She leapt the castle-wa;
And Willie was wight and well able,
And he keept her frae a fa. |
| 17 |
But the cocks they crew, and the horns blew,
And the lions took the hill,
And Willie's ladie followed him,
And the tears did twinkle still. |
| 18 |
'O want ye ribbons to your hair?
Or roses to your sheen?
Or want ye chains about your neck?
Ye'se get mair ere that be deen.' |
| 19 |
'I want not ribbons to my hair,
Nor roses to my sheen,
And there's mair chains about my neck
Nor ever I'll see deen;
But I have as much dear bought love
As my heart can contain.' |
| 20 |
'Will ye go to the cards or dice?
Or to the table ee?
Or to a bed, so well down spread,
And sleep till it be day?' |
| 21 |
I've mair need of the roddins, Willie,
That grow on yonder thorn;
Likewise a drink o Marywell water,
Out of your grass-green horn. |
| 22 |
'I've mair need of a fire, Willie,
To had me frae the cauld;
Likewise a glass of your red wine,
Ere I bring my son to the fauld.' |
| 23 |
He's got a bush o roddins till her,
That grows on yonder thorn;
Likewise a drink o Marywell water,
Out of his grass-green horn. |
| 24 |
He carried the match in his pocket
That kindled to her the fire,
Well set about wi oaken spells,
That leamd oer Lincolnshire. |
| 25 |
And he has bought to his lady
The white bread and the wine;
And the milk he milked from the goats,
He fed his young son on. |
| 26 |
Till it fell ance upon a day
Dame Oliphant thought lang:
'O gin ye hae a being, Willie,
I pray ye hae me hame.' |
| 27 |
He's taen his young son in his arms,
His lady by the hand,
And they're down thro good green wood,
As fast as they could gang. |
| 28 |
Till they came to a shepherd-may,
Was feeding her flocks alone;
Said, Will ye gae alang wi me,
And carry my bonny young son? |
| 29 |
The gowns that were shapen for my back,
They shall be sewd for thine;
And likewise I'll gar Squire Willie
Gie you a braw Scotsman. |
| 30 |
When they came on to Willie's bower-yates,
And far beyont the sea,
She was haild the lady o Douglass Dale,
And Willie an earl to be:
Likewise the maid they brought awa,
She got a braw Scotsman. |
