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The English and Scottish Popular Ballads

Edited by Francis James Child.

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438

Tring Dilly

WILL STEWART AND JOHN—B

[_]

Campbell MSS, II, 30.

1

Speak for yoursell, John Stewart,’ he did say,
‘Speak for yoursell, John Stewart,’ he did say,
‘Speak for yoursell, John Stewart,’ he did say,
‘And soon an answer I will gie to thee;
The highest service I can give thee
Is to wait on my daughter Ailly.

2

[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
If ever I gie a man a penny wage,
I'm sure, John Stewart, ye shall hae three.’

3

‘I speak not for mysell,’ John Stewart he did say,
‘I speak for a lord of a higher degree;
The message is from my brother William,
Your loving daugher's husband to be.’

4

[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
I'll rather beat fair Ailly in my leather bang,
As lang as she can either stand or gang.’

5

[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
‘Ye hadna beat her before my face
Or ye'll beat three hundred men and me.’

6

When William came to Mulbery Hall,
He kissd the ladies one and all;
But when he cam to fair Ailly,
She thought he might hae gaen her twa or three.

7

Between the kitchen and the garden
It is calld a measured mile;
That lady and that lord fell into discourse,
And they thought they rode it in a short while.
Chorus:
Tring dilly, tring dilly, tring ding dido,
Tring dilly, tring dilly, dolo dee.