The English and Scottish Popular Ballads Edited by Francis James Child. |
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| IX. |
 | The English and Scottish Popular Ballads |  |
Buld Rankin
LAMKIN—H
1
Bauld Rankin was as gude a masonas eer biggit wi stane;
He has biggit a bonny castle,
but siller he gat nane.
2
‘Gae bar the gates,’ the lady said,‘gae bar them out and in;
Leave not a door open,
lest Rankin should come in.’
3
They've bard them on the outer side,sae hae they on the in;
But left the cellar-door open,
and Bauld Rankin crap in.
331
4
‘Where's a' the women o the house?’says Bauld Rankin:
‘They're at the well washing,’
says the fause nurse to him.
5
‘Where's a' the men of this house?’says the Bauld Rankin:
‘They are at the barn thrashing,’
says the fause nurse to him.
6
‘Where's the lady of this house?’says the Bauld Rankin:
‘She's in the chamber, sleeping,’
says the fause nurse to him.
7
‘How will we get her wakent?how will we get her down?’
‘We'll pierce the baby's heart's blood,’
says the fause nurse to him.
8
‘Come, please the babe, nurse,come please it wi the keys:’
‘It'll no be pleased, madam,
tho I'll down on my knees.’
9
‘Come, please the babe, nurse,come, please it wi the knife:’
‘It'll no be pleased, madam,
should I lay down my life.’
10
‘Come, please the babe, nurse,come, please it wi the bell:’
‘It'll no be pleased, madam,
till ye come down yoursel.’
11
‘How can I come down, how can I come,sae late in the night,
And neither coal nor candle,
for to shew me light?’
12
The first step she steppit,she steppit on a stane;
The next step she steppit,
she met the Bauld Rankin.
13
‘O spare my life, Rankin,O spare it most dear!
I'll gie you as monie guineas
as birds in the air.
14
‘O spare my life, Rankin,O save it most sweet!
I'll gie you as monie guineas
as there's stanes in the street.’
15
‘I wish my wife and bairnsmay be all well at hame;
For the buttons on my waistcoat
they winna bide on.
16
‘I wish my wife and familymay be all well at home;
For the rings upon my fingers
they winna bide on.’
17
He has kindled a big bane-fire,in the middle o the closs,
And he has burned Bauld Rankin,
likewise the fause nurse.
| The English and Scottish Popular Ballads | |