Ballad Book Part 8

"Cast aff, cast aff, sister," he says, "The gowd band frae your croun; For if ye gang where I hae been, Ye'll wear it laigher doun.

"When ye are in the gude kirk set, The gowd pins in your hair, Ye tak' mair delight in your f.e.c.kless dress, Than in your mornin' prayer.

"And when ye walk in the kirkyard, And in your dress are seen, There is nae lady that spies your face, But wishes your grave were green.

"Ye're straight and tall, handsome withal, But your pride owergangs your wit; If ye do not your ways refrain, In Pirie's chair ye'll sit.

"In Pirie's chair ye'll sit, I say, The lowest seat in h.e.l.l; If ye do not amend your ways, It's there that ye maun dwell!"

Wi' that he vanished frae her sight, In the twinking of an eye; And naething mair the lady saw But the gloomy clouds and sky.

THE TWA SISTERS O' BINNORIE.

There were twa sisters lived in a bower; Binnorie, O Binnorie; The youngest o' them, O she was a flower, By the bonnie mill-dams o' Binnorie.

There cam' a squire frae the west, Binnorie, O Binnorie; He lo'ed them baith, but the youngest best, By the bonnie mill-dams o' Binnorie.

He courted the eldest wi' glove and ring, Binnorie, O Binnorie; But he lo'ed the youngest abune a' thing, By the bonnie mill-dams o' Binnorie.

The eldest she was vexed sair, Binnorie, O Binnorie; And sore envied her sister fair, By the bonnie mill-dams o' Binnorie.

The eldest said to the youngest ane, Binnorie, O Binnorie; "Will ye see our father's s.h.i.+ps come in?"

By the bonnie mill-dams o' Binnorie.

She's ta'en her by the lily hand; Binnorie, O Binnorie; And led her down to the river strand, By the bonnie mill-dams o' Binnorie.

The youngest stood upon a stane; Binnorie, O Binnorie; The eldest cam' and pushed her in, By the bonnie mill-dams o' Binnorie.

"O sister, sister, reach your hand, Binnorie, O Binnorie; And ye shall be heir of half my land,"

By the bonnie mill-dams o' Binnorie.

"O sister, I'll not reach my hand, Binnorie, O Binnorie; And I'll be the heir of all your land; By the bonnie mill-dams o' Binnorie.

"Shame fa' the hand that I should take, Binnorie, O Binnorie; It has twined me and my world's make;"

By the bonnie mill-dams o' Binnorie.

"O sister, sister, reach your glove, Binnorie, O Binnorie; And sweet William shall be your love;"

By the bonnie mill-dams o' Binnorie.

"Sink on, nor hope for hand or glove, Binnorie, O Binnorie; And sweet William shall be mair my love, By the bonnie mill-dams o' Binnorie.

"Your cherry cheeks, and your yellow hair, Binnorie, O Binnorie; Had gar'd me gang maiden ever mair,"

By the bonnie mill-dams o' Binnorie.

Sometimes she sank, and sometimes she swam, Binnorie, O Binnorie; Until she cam' to the miller's dam; By the bonnie mill-dams o' Binnorie.

The miller's daughter was baking bread, Binnorie, O Binnorie; And gaed for water as she had need, By the bonnie mill-dams o' Binnorie.

"O father, father, draw your dam!

Binnorie, O Binnorie; For there is a lady or milk-white swan,"

By the bonnie mill-dams o' Binnorie.

The miller hasted and drew his dam, Binnorie, O Binnorie; And there he found a drown'd woman, By the bonnie mill-dams o' Binnorie.

Ye couldna see her yellow hair, Birmorie, O Binnorie; For gowd and pearls that were sae rare; By the bonnie mill-dams o' Binnorie.

Ye couldna see her middle sma', Binnorie, O Binnorie; Her gowden girdle was sae braw, By the bonnie mill-dams o' Binnorie.

Ye couldna see her lilie feet, Binnorie, O Binnorie; Her gowden fringes were sae deep, By the bonnie mill-dams o' Binnorie.

"Sair will they be, whae'er they be, Binnorie, O Binnorie; The hearts that live to weep for thee!"

By the bonnie mill-dams o' Binnorie.

There cam' a harper pa.s.sing by, Binnorie, O Binnorie; The sweet pale face he chanced to spy, By the bonnie mill-dams o' Binnorie.

And when he looked that lady on, Binnorie, O Binnorie; He sighed and made a heavy moan, By the bonnie mill-dams o' Binnorie.

He has ta'en three locks o' her yellow hair, Binnorie, O Binnorie; And wi' them strung his harp sae rare, By the bonnie mill-dams o' Binnorie.

He brought the harp to her father's hall; Binnorie, O Binnorie; And there was the court a.s.sembled all; By the bonnie mill-dams o' Binnorie.

He set the harp upon a stane, Binnorie, O Binnorie; And it began to play alane, By the bonnie mill-dams o' Binnorie.

And sune the harp sang loud and clear, Binnorie, O Binnorie!

"Farewell, my father and mither dear!"

By the bonnie mill-dams o' Binnorie.

And neist when the harp began to sing, Binnorie, O Binnorie!

'Twas "Farewell, sweetheart!" said the string, By the bonnie mill-dams o' Binnorie.

And then as plain as plain could be, Binnorie, O Binnorie!

"There sits my sister wha drowned me!"

By the bonnie mill-dams o' Binnorie.

THE DEMON LOVER.

"O, where hae ye been, my lang-lost love, This lang seven years an' more?"

"O, I'm come to seek my former vows Ye granted me before."

"O, haud your tongue o' your former vows, For they'll breed bitter strife; O, haud your tongue o' your former vows, For I am become a wife."

He turned him right an' round about, And the tear blinded his e'e; "I wad never hae trodden on Irish ground If it hadna been for thee.