Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, II, 282;
Motherwell's Manuscript, p. 601, derived from Buchan.
| 1 |
It fell upon the Lammas time,
When flowers were fresh and green,
And craig and cleugh was covered ower
With cloathing that was clean. |
| 2 |
'Twas at that time a noble squire,
Sprung from an ancient line,
Laid his love on a lady fair,
The king's daughter o Linne. |
| 3 |
When cocks did craw, and day did daw,
And mint in meadows sprang,
Young Ronald and his little wee boy
They rode the way alang. |
| 4 |
So they rode on, and farther on,
To yonder pleasant green,
And there he spied that lady fair,
In her garden alane. |
| 5 |
These two together lang they stood,
And love's tale there they taul;
The glancing o her fair color
Did Ronald's own impale. |
| 6 |
He lifted 's hat, and thus he spake;
O pity have on me!
For I could pledge what is my right,
All for the sake of thee. |
| 7 |
'Ye're young amo your mirth, kind sir,
And fair o your dull hours;
There's nae a lady in a' London
But might be your paramour. |
| 8 |
'But I'm too young to wed, kind sir,
You must not take it ill;
Whate'er my father bids me do,
I maun be at his will.' |
| 9 |
He kissd her then and took his leave,
His heart was all in pride,
And he is on to Windsor gone,
And his boy by his side. |
| 10 |
And when he unto Windsor came,
And lighted on the green,
There he spied his mother dear,
Was walking there alane. |
| 11 |
'Where have ye been, my son, Ronald,
From gude school-house, this day?'
'I hae been at Linne, mother,
Seeing yon bonny may.' |
| 12 |
'O wae's me for you now, Ronald,
For she will not you hae;
For mony a knight and bauld baron
She's nickd them a' wi nae.' |
| 13 |
Young Ronald's done him to his bower,
And he took bed and lay;
Nae woman could come in his sight,
For the thoughts o this well-fard may. |
| 14 |
Then in it came his father dear,
Well belted in a brand;
The tears ran frae his twa gray eyes,
All for his lovely son. |
| 15 |
Then Ronald calld his stable-groom
To come right speedilie;
Says, Ye'll gang to yon stable, boy,
And saddle a steed for me. |
| 16 |
'His saddle o the guid red gowd,
His bits be o the steel,
His bridle o a glittering hue;
See that ye saddle him weel. |
| 17 |
'For I've heard greeters at your school-house,
Near thirty in a day;
But for to hear an auld man greet,
It passes bairns' play.' |
| 18 |
When cocks did craw, and day did daw,
And mint in meadows sprang,
Young Ronald and his little wee boy
The way they rode alang. |
| 19 |
So they rode on, and further on,
To younder pleasant green,
And there they saw that lady fair,
In her garden alane. |
| 20 |
And twenty times before he ceasd
He kissd her lips sae clear,
And said, Dear lady, for your sake,
I'll fight fell lang and sair. |
| 21 |
'Full haste, nae speed, for me, kind sir,'
Replied the lady clear;
'Far better bucklings ye maun bide
Or ye gain my love by weir. |
| 22 |
'King Honour is my father's name,
The morn to war maun fare,
And that's to fight a proud giant,
That's wrought him muckle care. |
| 23 |
'Along wi him he is to take
Baith noble knights and squires,
I woud wish you as well-dressd a knight
As ony will be there. |
| 24 |
'And I'll gie you a thousand crowns,
To part amang your men;
A robe upon your ain body,
Weel sewd wi my ain hand. |
| 25 |
'Likewise a ring, a royal thing,
The virtue it is gude;
If ony o your men be hurt,
It soon will stem their blude. |
| 26 |
'Another ring, a royal thing,
Whose virtue is well known;
As lang's this ring your body's on,
Your bluid shall neer be drawn.' |
| 27 |
He kissd her then, and took his leave,
His heart was all in pride,
And he is on to Windsor gone,
And his boy by his side. |
| 28 |
And when he unto Windsor came,
And lighted on the green,
There he saw his auld father,
Was walking him alane. |
| 29 |
'Where hae ye been, my son, Ronald,
From gude school-house the day?'
'O I hae been at Linne, father,
Seeking yon bonny may.' |
| 30 |
'O wae's me for you now, Ronald,
For she will not you hae;
Mony a knight and bauld baron
She's nickd them a' wi nay.' |
| 31 |
'O had your tongue, my father dear,
Lat a' your folly be;
The last words that I wi her spake,
Her love was granted me. |
| 32 |
'King Honour is her father's name,
The morn to war maun fare,
And that's to fight a proud giant,
That's wrought him muckle care. |
| 33 |
'Alang wi him he means to take
Baith knights and noble squires;
And she wishes me as well drest a knight
As ony will be there. |
| 34 |
'And she's gaen me a thousand crowns,
To part amang my men;
A robe upon my ain body,
Weel sewd wi her ain hand. |
| 35 |
'Likewise a ring, a royal thing,
The virtue it is gude;
If ony o my men be hurt,
It soon will stem their blude. |
| 36 |
'Another ring, a royal thing,
Whose virtue is unknown;
As lang's this ring my body's on,
My blude will neer be drawn.' |
| 37 |
'If that be true, my son, Ronald,
That ye hae tauld to me,
I'll gie to you an hundred men,
To bear you companie. |
| 38 |
'Besides as muckle gude harness
As carry them on the lee;
It is a company gude enough
For sic a squire as thee.' |
| 39 |
When cocks did craw, and day did daw,
And mint in meadows spread,
Young Ronald and his merry young men
Were ready for to ride. |
| 40 |
So they rode on, and farther on,
To yonder pleasant green,
And there they spied that lady fair,
In her garden, sair mourning. |
| 41 |
These twa together lang they stood,
And love's tale there they taul,
Till her father and his merry young men
Ahd ridden seven mile. |
| 42 |
He kissd her then, and took his leave,
His heart was all in pride,
And then he sprang alang the road
As sparks do frae the gleed. |
| 43 |
Then to his great steed he set spur;
He being swift o feet,
They soon arrived on the plain,
Where all the rest did meet. |
| 44 |
Then flew the foul thief frae the west,
His make was never seen;
He had three heads upon ae hause,
Three heads on ae breast-bane. |
| 45 |
He bauldly stept up to the king,
Seiz'd 's steed in his right hand;
Says, Here I am, a valiant man,
Fight me now if ye can. |
| 46 |
'Where is the man in a' my train
Will take this deed in hand?
And he shall hae my daughter dear,
And third part o my land.' |
| 47 |
'O here am I,' said young Ronald,
'Will take the deed in hand;
And ye'll gie me your daughter dear,
I'll seek nane o your land.' |
| 48 |
'I woudna for my life, Ronald,
This day I left you here;
Remember ye yon lady gay
For you shed mony a tear.' |
| 49 |
Fan he did mind on that lady
That he left him behind,
He hadna mair fear to fight
Nor a lion frae a chain. |
| 50 |
Then he cut aff the giant's heads
Wi ae sweep o his hand,
Gaed hame and married that lady,
And heird her father's land. |
