Kinloch Manuscripts, I, 211; "obtained in the North Country,
from the recitation of Mrs. Charles."
| 1 |
There is a stane in yon water,
It's lang or it grow green;
It's a maid that maks her ain fortune,
It'll never end its leen. |
| 2 |
Burd Bell was na full fyfteen
Till to service she did gae;
Burd Bell was na full sixteen
Till big wi bairn was scho.
* * * * * |
| 3 |
'Burd Bell she is a gude woman,
She bides at hame wi me;
She never seeks to gang to church,
But bides at hame wi me.' |
| 4 |
It fell ance upon a day
She fell in travail-pain;
He is gane to the stair-head
Some ladies to call in. |
| 5 |
'O gin ye hae a lass-bairn, Burd Bell,
A lass-bairn though it be,
Twenty ploughs bot and a mill
Will mak ye lady free. |
| 6 |
'But gin ye hae a son, Burd Bell,
Ye'se be my wedded wife,
. . . .
. . . .' |
| 7 |
The knichts they knack their white fingers,
The ladies sat and sang,
Twas a' to cheer bonnie Burd Bell,
She was far sunk in pain.
* * * * * |
| 8 |
Earl Patrick is to his mither gane,
As fast as he could hie:
'An askin, an askin, dear mither,
An askin I want frae thee. |
| 9 |
'Burd Bell has born to me a son;
What sall I do her wi?'
'Gie her what ye like, Patrick,
Mak na her your ladie.' |
| 10 |
He has gane to bonnie Burd Bell,
Hir heart was pressd wi care:
. . . .
. . . . |
| 11 |
'My father will dee, bonnie Burd Bell,
My mither will do the same,
And whan ye hear that they are gane
It's then I'll bring ye hame.' |
| 12 |
Earl Patrick's bigget to her a bour,
And strawn it round wi sand;
He coverd it wi silver on the outside,
Wi the red gowd within. |
| 13 |
It happened ance upon a day
She was kaiming his yellow hiar,
. . . .
. . . . |
| 14 |
'Your father is dead, Earl Patrick,
Your mither is the same;
And what is the reason, Earl Patrick,
Ye winna tak me hame?' |
| 15 |
'I've bigget to you a bonnie bour,
I've strawn it round wi sand;
I've coverd it wi silver on the outside,
Wi gude red gowd within. |
| 16 |
'If eer I marry anither woman,
Or bring anither hame,
I wish a hundred evils may enter me,
And may I fa oure the brim!' |
| 17 |
It was na very lang after this
That a duke's dochter he's wed,
Wi a waggon fu of gowd
. . . . |
| 18 |
Burd Bell lookit oure her castle-wa,
And spied baith dale and down,
And there she saw Earl Patrick's aunt
Come riding to the town. |
| 19 |
'What want ye here, Earl Patrick's aunt?
What want ye here wi me?'
'I want Earl Patrick's bonnie young son;
His bride fain wad him see.' |
| 20 |
'I wad like to see that woman or man,
Of high or low degree,
That wad tak the bairn frae my foot
That I ance for bowd my knee.'
* * * * * |
| 21 |
'Burd Bell, she's the bauldest woman
That ever I did see:'
'It's I'll gang to bonnie Burd Bell,
She was never bauld to me.' |
| 22 |
Burd Bell lookit oure her castle-wa,
Behauding brave dale and down,
And there she spied him Earl Patrick
Slowly riding to the town. |
| 23 |
'What said ye to my great-grand-aunt
. . . .
. . . .
. . . .' |
| 24 |
'I said nathing to your great-grand-aunt
But I will say to thee:
I wad like to see the woman or man,
Of high or low degree,
That wad tak the bairn frae my foot
I ance for bowd my knee. |
| 25 |
'O dinna ye mind, Earl Patrick,
The vows ye made to me,
That a hundred evils was enter you
If ye provd fause to me?' |
| 26 |
He's turnd him richt and round about,
His horse head to the wind,
The hundred evils enterd him,
And he fell oure the brim. |
