Then out spoke noble Fox; "You may let the prisoner go; The lady's oath has cleared him, as the Jury all may know, She has released her own true love, she has renewed his name; May her honor bright gain high estate, and her offspring rise to fame!"

Unknown

THE TWA CORBIES

As I was walking all alane

I heard twa corbies making a mane;
The tane unto the t'other did say,
"Where sall we gang and dine to-day?”

"In behint yon auld fail dyke

I wot there lies a new-slain Knight;
And naebody kens that he lies there,
But his hawk, his hound, and lady fair.

"His hound is to the hunting gane,
His hawk to fetch the wild-fowl hame,
His lady's ta'en another mate,

So we may mak our dinner sweet.

"Ye'll set on his white hause-bane,

And I'll pick out his bonnie blue een:

Wi' ae lock o' his gowden hair

We'll theek our nest when it grows bare.

"Mony a one for him make mane,
But nane sall ken whar he is gane;

O'er his white banes, when they are bare,
The wind sall blaw for evermair."

THE THREE RAVENS

THERE were three ravens sat on a tree,
They were as black as they might be.

The one of them said to his mate,
"Where shall we our breakfast take?"

Unknown

2577

Lord Randal

"Down in yonder greenè field

There lies a knight slain under his shield;

"His hounds they lie down at his feet,

So well do they their master keep;

"His hawks they fly so eagerly,
There's no fowl dare come him nigh,

"Down there comes a fallow doe
As great with young as she might goe.

"She lifted up his bloudy head

And kist his wounds that were so red.

"She gat him up upon her back
And carried him to earthen lake.

"She buried him before the prime,
She was dead herself ere evensong time.

Such hounds, such hawks, and such a leman."

Unknown

LORD RANDAL

"O WHERE hae ye been, Lord Randal, my son? O where hae ye been, my handsome young man?12 "I hae been to the wild wood; mother, make my bed soon; For I'm weary wi' hunting, and fain wald lie doun."

"Where gat ye your dinner, Lord Randal, my son? Where gat ye your dinner, my handsome young man?" "I dined wi' my true-love; mother, make my bed soon; For I'm weary wi' hunting, and fain wald lie doun."

"What gat ye to your dinner, Lord Randal, my son? What gat ye to your dinner, my handsome young man?" "I gat eels boiled in broo; mother, make my bed soon; For I'm weary wi' hunting, and fain wald lie doun."

"What became of your bloodhounds, Lord Randal, my son? What became of your bloodhounds, my handsome young man?"

"O they swelled and they died; mother, make my bed soon; For I'm weary wi' hunting, and fain wald lie doun."

"O I fear ye are poisoned, Lord Randal, my son!
OI fear ye are poisoned, my handsome young man!"
"O yes! I am poisoned; mother,
make my bed soon;

For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wald lie doun."

Unknown

EDWARD, EDWARD

"WHY does your brand sae drop wi' blude,
Edward, Edward?

Why does your brand sae drop wi' blude,
And why sae sad gang ye, O?"
"O I hae killed my hawk sae gude,
Mither, mither;

OI hae killed my hawk sae gude,
And I had nae mair but he, O."

"Your hawk's blude was never sae red,
Edward, Edward;

Your hawk's blude was never sae red,
My dear son, I tell thee, O."
"O I hae killed my red-roan steed,
Mither, mither;

OI hae killed my red-roan steed,

That erst was sae fair and free, O.”

"Your steed was auld, and ye hae got mair,
Edward, Edward;

Your steed was auld, and ye hae got mair;
Some other dule ye dree, O."

"O I hae killed my father dear,

Mither, mither;

OI hae killed my father dear,

Alas, and wae is me, O!"

Riddles Wisely Expounded

"And whatten penance will ye dree for that, Edward, Edward?

Whatten penance will ye dree for that?

My dear son, now tell me, O."

"I'll set my feet in yonder beat, Mither, mither;

I'll set my feet in yonder boat,

And I'll fare over the sea,

O."

2579

"And what will ye do wi' your towers and your ha',
Edward, Edward?

And what will ye do wi' your towers and your ha',
That were sae fair to see, O?”
"I'll let them stand till they doun fa',
Mither, mither;

I'll let them stand till they doun fa',

For here never mair maun I be, O."

"And what will ye leave to your bairns and your wife, Edward, Edward?

And what will ye leave to your bairns and your wife,
O?"

When ye gang owre the sea,

"The warld's room: let them beg through life,

Mither, mither;

The warld's room: let them beg through life;
For them never mair will I see, O."

"And what will ye leave to your ain mither dear,
Edward, Edward?

And what will ye leave to your ain mither dear,
My dear son, now tell me, O?"

"The curse of hell frae me sall ye bear,
Mither, mither;

The curse of hell frae me sall ye bear:

Sic counsels ye gave to me,

O!"

Unknown

RIDDLES WISELY EXPOUNDED

THERE was a knicht riding frae the east,
Jennifer gentle an' rosemaree.

Who had been wooing at monie a place,

As the doo flies owre the mulberry tree.

He cam' unto a widow's door,

And speird whare her three dochters were.

"The auldest ane's to a washing gane, The second's to a baking gane,

"The youngest ane's to a wedding gane, And it will be nicht or she be hame."

He sat him doun upon a stane,

Till thir three lasses cam' tripping hame.

The auldest ane she let him in,

And pinned the door wi' a siller pin.

The second ane she made his bed,
And laid saft pillows unto his head.

The youngest ane was bauld and bricht,

And she tarried for words wi' this unco knicht.

"Gin ye will answer me questions ten,

The morn ye sall be made my ain.

"O what is higher nor the tree?

And what is deeper nor the sea?

"Or what is heavier nor the lead? And what is better nor the breid?

"Or what is whiter nor the milk? Or what is safter nor the silk?

"Or what is sharper nor a thorn? Or what is louder nor a horn?

"Or what is greener nor the grass? Or what is waur nor a woman was?"

"O heaven is higher nor the tree, And hell is deeper nor the sea.