University of Virginia Library

Lord John

THE ELFIN KNIGHT—F

[_]

Kinloch MSS, i, 75. From Mary Barr.

1

Did ye ever travel twixt Berwick and Lyne?
Sober and grave grows merry in time
There ye'll meet wi a handsome young dame,
Ance she was a true love o mine.

2

‘Tell her to sew me a holland sark,
And sew it all without needle-wark:
And syne we'll be true lovers again.

3

‘Tell her to wash it at yon spring-well,
Where neer wind blew, nor yet rain fell.

4

‘Tell her to dry it on yon hawthorn,
That neer sprang up sin Adam was born.

5

‘Tell her to iron it wi a hot iron,
And plait it a' in ae plait round.’

6

‘Did ye ever travel twixt Berwick and Lyne?
There ye'll meet wi a handsome young man,
Ance he was a true lover o mine.

18

7

‘Tell him to plough me an acre o land
Betwixt the sea-side bot and the sea-sand,
And syne we'll be true lovers again.

8

‘Tell him to saw it wi ae peck o corn,
And harrow it a' wi ae harrow tine.

9

‘Tell him to shear it wi ae hook-tooth,
And carry it hame just into his loof.

10

‘Tell him to stack it in yon mouse-hole,
And thrash it a' just wi his shoe-sole.

11

‘Tell him to dry it on yon ribless kiln,
And grind it a' in yon waterless miln.

12

Tell this young man, whan he's finished his wark,
He may come to me, and hese get his sark.’