Isaac-a-Bell and Hugh the Græme
SIR LIONEL—B
[_]
Christie, Traditional Ballad Airs, i, 110. From the singing
of an old woman in Buckie, Enzie, Banffshire.
1
A knicht had two sons o sma fame,
Hey nien nanny
Isaac-a-Bell and Hugh the Graeme.
And the norlan flowers spring bonny
2
And to the youngest he did say,
‘What occupation will you hae?
When the, etc.
3
‘Will you gae fee to pick a mill?
Or will you keep hogs on yon hill?’
While the, etc.
4
‘I winna fee to pick a mill,
Nor will I keep hogs on yon hill.
While the, etc.
5
‘But it is said, as I do hear,
That war will last for seven year,
And the, etc.
6
‘With a giant and a boar
That range into the wood o Tore.
And the, etc.
7
‘You'll horse and armour to me provide,
That through Tore wood I may safely ride.’
When the, etc.
8
The knicht did horse and armour provide,
That through Tore wood Graeme micht safely ride.
When the, etc.
9
Then he rode through the wood o Tore,
And up it started the grisly boar.
When the, etc.
10
The firsten bout that he did ride,
The boar he wounded in the left side.
When the, etc.
11
The nexten bout at the boar he gaed,
He from the boar took aff his head.
And the, etc.
12
As he rode back through the wood o Tore,
Up started the giant him before.
And the, etc.
13
‘O cam you through the wood o Tore,
Or did you see my good wild boar?’
And the, etc.
14
‘I cam now through the wood o Tore,
But woe be to your grisly boar.
And the, etc.
15
‘The firsten bout that I did ride,
I wounded your wild boar in the side.
And the, etc.
16
‘The nexten bout at him I gaed,
From your wild boar I took aff his head.’
And the, etc.
17
‘Gin you have cut aff the head o my boar,
It's your head shall be taen therfore.
And the, etc.
18
‘I'll gie you thirty days and three,
To heal your wounds, then come to me.’
While the, etc.
19
‘It's after thirty days and three,
When my wounds heal, I'll come to thee.’
When the, etc.
20
So Græme is back to the wood o Tore,
And he's killd the giant, as he killd the boar.
And the, etc.
