The English and Scottish Popular Ballads :: :: University of Virginia Library

Kinloch MSS, V, 391. In Dr John Hill Burton's handwriting, and perhaps from the recitation of Mrs Robertson (Christian Leslie), mother of Dr Joseph Robertson.

[OMITTED]

1

‘The night, the night is Halloween,
Tomorrow's Hallowday,
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]

2

‘The night, the night is Halloween,
Our seely court maun ride,
Thro England and thro Ireland both,
And a' the warld wide.

[OMITTED]

3

‘The firsten court that comes ye bye,
You'll lout, and let them gae;
The seconden court that comes you bye,
You'll hail them reverently.

4

‘The thirden court that comes you by,
Sae weel's ye will me ken,
For some will be on a black, a black,
And some will be on a brown,
But I will be on a bluid-red steed,
And will ride neist the queen.

5

‘The thirden court that comes you bye,
Sae weel's ye will me ken,
For I'll be on a bluid-red steed,
Wi three stars on his crown.

6

‘Ye'll tak the horse head in yer hand,
And grip the bridle fast;
The Queen o Elfin will gie a cry,
“True Tamas is stown awa!”

7

‘And I will grow in your twa hands
An adder and an eel;
But the grip ye get ye'll hold it fast,
I'll be father to yer chiel.

8

‘I will wax in your twa hans
As hot as any coal;
But if you love me as you say,
You'll think of me and thole.

9

‘O I will grow in your twa hands
An adder and a snake;
The grip ye get now hold it fast,
And I'll be your world's mait.

10

‘O I'll gae in at your gown sleeve,
And out at your gown hem,
And I'll stand up before thee then
A freely naked man.

11

‘O I'll gae in at your gown sleeve,
And out at your gown hem,
And I'll stand before you then,
But claithing I'll hae nane.

12

‘Ye'll do you down to Carden's Ha,
And down to Carden's stream,
And there you'll see our seely court,
As they come riding hame.’

[OMITTED]

13

‘It's nae wonder, my daughter Janet,
True Tammas ye thought on;
An he were a woman as he's a man,
My bedfellow he should be.’