The English and Scottish Popular Ballads Edited by Francis James Child. |
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 | The English and Scottish Popular Ballads |  |
True Tammas
ERLINTON—B
1
There was a knight, an he had a daughter,An he wad wed her, wi muckle sin;
Sae he has biggit a bonnie bower, love,
An a' to keep his fair daughter in.
2
But she hadna been in the bonnie bower, love,And no twa hours but barely ane,
Till up started Tammas, her ain true lover,
And O sae fain as he wad been in.
3
‘For a' sae weel as I like ye, Tammas,An for a' sae weel as I like the gin,
I wadna for ten thousand pounds, love,
Na no this night wad I let thee in.
4
‘But yonder is a bonnie greenwud,An in the greenwud there is a wauk,
An I'll be there an sune the morn, love,
It's a' for my true love's sake.
5
‘On my right hand I'll have a glove, love,An on my left ane I'll have nane;
I'll have wi' me my sisters six, love,
An we will wauk the wuds our lane.’
6
They hadna waukd in the bonnie greenwud,Na no an hour but barely ane,
Till up start Tammas, her ain true lover,
He's taen her sisters her frae mang.
7
An he has kissed her sisters six, love,An he has sent them hame again,
But he has keepit his ain true lover,
Saying, ‘We will wauk the wuds our lane.’
8
They hadna waukd in the bonnie greenwudNa no an hour but barely ane,
Till up start fifteen o the bravest outlaws
That ever bure either breath or bane.
9
An up bespake the foremost man, love,An O but he spake angrily:
‘Either your life — or your lady fair, sir,
This night shall wauk the wuds wi me.’
109
10
‘My lady fair, O I like her weel, sir,An O my life, but it lies me near!
But before I lose my lady fair, sir,
I'll rather lose my life sae dear.’
11
Then up bespak the second man, love,An aye he spake mair angrily,
Saying, ‘Baith your life, and your lady fair, sir,
This night shall wauk the wuds wi me.’
12
‘My lady fair, O I like her weel, sir,An O my life, but it lies me near!
But before I lose my lady fair, sir,
I'll rather lose my life sae dear.
13
‘But if ye'll be men to your manhood,As that I will be unto mine,
I'll fight ye every ane man by man,
Till the last drop's blude I hae be slain.
14
‘O sit ye down, my dearest dearie,Sit down and hold my noble steed,
And see that ye never change your cheer
Until ye see my body bleed.’
15
He's feughten a' the fifteen outlaws,The fifteen outlaws every ane,
He's left naething but the auldest man
To go and carry the tidings hame.
16
An he has gane to his dearest dear,An he has kissed her, cheek and chin,
Saying, ‘Thou art mine ain, I have bought thee dear,
An we will wauk the wuds our lane.’
| The English and Scottish Popular Ballads | |