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The English and Scottish Popular Ballads

Edited by Francis James Child.

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169

EDWARD—A

[_]

a. Motherwell's MS., p. 139. From Mrs King, Kilbarchan. b. Motherwell's Minstrelsy, p. 339.

1

What bluid's that on thy coat lap,
Son Davie, son Davie?
What bluid's that on thy coat lap?
And the truth come tell to me.’

2

‘It is the bluid of my great hawk,
Mother lady, mother lady:
It is the bluid of my great hawk,
And the truth I have told to thee.’

3

‘Hawk's bluid was neer sae red,
Son Davie, son Davie:
Hawk's bluid was neer sae red,
And the truth come tell to me.’

4

‘It is the bluid of my greyhound,
Mother lady, mother lady:
It is the bluid of my greyhound,
And it wadna rin for me.’

5

‘Hound's bluid was neer sae red,
Son Davie, son Davie:
Hound's bluid was neer sae red,
And the truth come tell to me.’

6

‘It is the bluid o my brither John,
Mother lady, mother lady:
It is the bluid o my brither John,
And the truth I have told to thee.’

7

‘What about did the plea begin,
Son Davie, son Davie?’
‘It began about the cutting of a willow wand
That would never been a tree.’

8

‘What death dost thou desire to die,
Son Davie, son Davie?
What death dost thou desire to die?
And the truth come tell to me.’

9

‘I'll set my foot in a bottomless ship,
Mother lady, mother lady:
I'll set my foot in a bottomless ship,
And ye'll never see mair o me.’

10

‘What wilt thou leave to thy poor wife,
Son Davie, son Davie?’
‘Grief and sorrow all her life,
And she'll never see mair o me.’

11

‘What wilt thou leave to thy old son,
Son Davie, son Davie?’
‘I'll leave him the weary world to wander up and down,
And he'll never get mair o me.’

12

‘What wilt thou leave to thy mother dear,
Son Davie, son Davie?’
‘A fire o coals to burn her, wi hearty cheer,
And she'll never get mair o me.’