Ballad Book Part 33

HELEN OF KIRCONNEL. After Scott. Other versions are given by Herd, Ritson, and Jamieson. There is said to be a traditional basis for the ballad, and the grave of the lovers, Adam Fleming and Helen Irving (or Helen Bell), is still pointed out in the churchyard of Kirconnell, near Springkell. _Burd_, lady.

WALY WALY. After Ramsay, being first published in the _Tea-Table Miscellany_. These touching and tender stanzas have been pieced by Chambers into the patchwork ballad, _Lord Jamie Douglas_, but evidently it is not there that they belong. _Waly_, a cry of lamentation. _Brae_, hillside. _Burn_, brook. _Syne_, then. _Lichtly_, slight. _Busk_, adorn. _Marti'mas_, November. _Fell_, bitterly.

_Cramasie_, crimson.

LORD RONALD. After Scott's version ent.i.tled _Lord Randal_. Scott adopts this name because he thinks the ballad may originally have had reference to the death of Thomas Randolph, or Randal, Earl of Murray,--a theory which Allingham, with more justice than mercy, briefly disposes of as "mere antiquarian moons.h.i.+ne." In point of fact the ballad recounts an old, old story, told in many literatures, Italian, German, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Magyar, Wendish, Bohemian, Catalan. The English offshoot takes on a bewildering variety of forms. (See Introduction, pp. xiii, xiv.) _Broo'_, broth.

EDWARD, EDWARD. After Percy, the ballad having made its first appearance in the _Reliques_. Motherwell gives an interesting version, in which the murderer, who in this case has slain his brother, is addressed as _Son Davie_. There are German, Swedish, Danish and Finish equivalents. The old orthography, which is retained here for its literary interest, cannot obscure the tragic power of the ballad.

_Frie_, free. _Dule ye drie_, grief ye suffer. _Tul_, till.