The English and Scottish Popular Ballads Edited by Francis James Child. |
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 | The English and Scottish Popular Ballads |  |
The Twa Brothers; or, The Wood o Warslin
THE TWA BROTHERS—D
1
‘O will ye gae to the school, brother?Or will ye gae to the ba?
Or will ye gae to the wood a-warslin,
To see whilk o's maun fa?’
2
‘It's I winna gae to the school, brother,Nor will I gae to the ba;
But I will gae to the wood a-warslin,
And it is you maun fa.’
3
They warstled up, they warstled down,The lee-lang simmer's day;
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
4
‘O lift me up upon your back,Tak me to yon wall fair;
You'll wash my bluidy wounds oer and oer,
And syne they'll bleed nae mair.
5
‘And ye'll tak aff my hollin sark,And riv't frae gair to gair;
Ye'll stap it in my bluidy wounds,
And syne they'll bleed nae mair.’
6
He's liftit his brother upon his back,Taen him to yon wall fair;
He's washed his bluidy wounds oer and oer,
But ay they bled mair and mair.
7
And he's taen aff his hollin sark,And riven't frae gair to gair;
He's stappit it in his bluidy wounds,
But ay they bled mair and mair.
8
‘Ye'll lift me up upon your back,Tak me to Kirkland fair;
Ye'll mak my greaf baith braid and lang,
And lay my body there.
9
‘Ye'll lay my arrows at my head,My bent bow at my feet,
My sword and buckler at my side,
As I was wont to sleep.
10
‘Whan ye gae hame to your father,He'll speer for his son John:
Say, ye left him into Kirkland fair,
Learning the school alone.
11
‘When ye gae hame to my sister,She'll speer for her brother John:
Ye'll say, ye left him in Kirkland fair,
The green grass growin aboon.
12
‘Whan ye gae hame to my true-love,She'll speer for her lord John:
Ye'll say, ye left him in Kirkland fair,
But hame ye fear he'll never come.’
13
He's gane hame to his father;He speered for his son John:
‘It's I left him into Kirkland fair,
Learning the school alone.’
14
And whan he gaed hame to his sister,She speered for her brother John:
‘It's I left him into Kirkland fair,
The green grass growin aboon.’
15
And whan he gaed home to his true-love,She speerd for her lord John:
‘It's I left him into Kirkland fair,
And hame I fear he'll never come.’
16
‘But whaten bluid's that on your sword, Willie?Sweet Willie, tell to me;’
‘O it is the bluid o my grey hounds,
They wadna rin for me.’
17
‘It's nae the bluid o your hounds, Willie,Their bluid was never so red;
441
That ye hae slain indeed.’
18
That fair may wept, that fair may mournd,That fair may mournd and pin'd:
‘When every lady looks for her love,
I neer need look for mine.’
19
‘O whaten a death will ye die, Willie?Now, Willie, tell to me;’
‘Ye'll put me in a bottomless boat,
And I'll gae sail the sea.’
20
‘Whan will ye come hame again, Willie?Now, Willie, tell to me;’
‘Whan the sun and moon dances on the green,
And that will never be.’
| The English and Scottish Popular Ballads | |