Ballads of Mystery and Miracle and Fyttes of Mirth Part 8

'I gae them to a ladye gay, I met in grene-wood on a day.

55.

'But I wad gie a' my halls and tours, I had that ladye within my bours;

56.

'But I wad gie my very life, I had that ladye to my wife.'

57.

'Now keep, my son, your ha's and tours; Ye have that bright burd in your bours;

58.

'And keep, my son, your very life; Ye have that ladye to your wife.'

59.

Now, or a month was come and gane, The ladye bore a bonny son;

60.

And 'twas weel written on his breast-bane, 'Cospatrick is my father's name.'

61.

'O rowe my ladye in satin and silk, And wash my son in the morning milk.'

[Annotations: 18.1: A mark was two-thirds of a pound.

31.1: 'stark and sture,' st.u.r.dy and strong.

36.1: 'kavils' = kevels, lots.

37.2: 'wierd,' fate.

41.2: 'hende' (? = heynde, person).

42.1: 'high-coll'd ... laigh-coll'd,' high-cut ... low-cut.

46.1: 'carknet,' necklace.

57.2: 'burd,' maiden.

61.1: 'rowe,' roll, wrap.]

YOUNG AKIN

+The Text+ is taken from Buchan's _Ballads of the North of Scotland_, and, like nearly all Buchan's versions, exhibits traces of vulgar remoulding. This ballad in particular has lost much of the original features. Kinloch called his version _Hynde Etin_, Allingham his compilation _Etin the Forester_.

+The Story+ is given in a far finer style in romantic Scandinavian ballads. Prior translated two of them, _The Maid and the Dwarf-King_, and _Agnes and the Merman_, both Danish. The Norse ballads on this subject, which may still be heard sung, are exceptionally beautiful.

Child says, 'They should make an Englishman's heart wring for his loss.'

In the present version we may with some confidence attribute to Buchan the stanzas from 48 to the end, as well as 15 and 16. The preference is given to Buchan's text merely because it retains features lost in Kinloch's version.

YOUNG AKIN

1.

Lady Margaret sits in her bower door, Sewing at her silken seam; She heard a note in Elmond's wood, And wish'd she there had been.

2.

She loot the seam fa' frae her side, And the needle to her tae, And she is on to Elmond-wood As fast as she coud gae.

3.

She hadna pu'd a nut, a nut, Nor broken a branch but ane, Till by it came a young hind chiel, Says, 'Lady, lat alane.

4.

'O why pu' ye the nut, the nut, Or why brake ye the tree?

For I am forester o' this wood: Ye shoud spier leave at me.'

5.

'I'll ask leave at no living man, Nor yet will I at thee; My father is king o'er a' this realm, This wood belongs to me.'

6.

She hadna pu'd a nut, a nut, Nor broken a branch but three, Till by it came him Young Akin, And gard her lat them be.

7.

The highest tree in Elmond's wood, He's pu'd it by the reet, And he has built for her a bower, Near by a hallow seat.

8.

He's built a bower, made it secure Wi' carbuncle and stane; Tho' travellers were never sae nigh, Appearance it had nane.

9.

He's kept her there in Elmond's wood For six lang years and one, Till six pretty sons to him she bear, And the seventh she's brought home.

10.

It fell ance upon a day, This guid lord went from home, And he is to the hunting gane, Took wi' him his eldest son.

11.

And when they were on a guid way, Wi' slowly pace did walk, The boy's heart being something wae, He thus began to talk.

12.

'A question I woud ask, father, Gin ye woudna angry be;'

'Say on, say on, my bonny boy, Ye'se nae be quarrell'd by me.'

13.

'I see my mither's cheeks aye weet, I never can see them dry; And I wonder what aileth my mither, To mourn continually.'

14.

'Your mither was a king's daughter, Sprung frae a high degree, And she might hae wed some worthy prince Had she nae been stown by me.

15.

'I was her father's cupbearer, Just at that fatal time; I catch'd her on a misty night, When summer was in prime.

16.

'My luve to her was most sincere, Her luve was great for me, But when she hards.h.i.+ps doth endure, Her folly she does see.'