Ballad Book | Page 9

maun serve me seven years,?Through weal or woe as may chance to be."
She's mounted on her milk-white steed,?She's ta'en True Thomas up behind;?And aye, whene'er her bridle rang,?The steed gaed swifter than the wind.
O they rade on, and further on,?The steed gaed swifter than the wind;?Until they reached a desert wide,?And living land was left behind.
"Light down, light down now, Thomas," she said,?"And lean your head upon my knee;?Light down, and rest a little space,?And I will show you ferlies three.
"O see ye na that braid braid road,?That stretches o'er the lily leven??That is the path of wickedness,?Though some call it the road to heaven.
"And see ye na yon narrow road,?Sae thick beset wi' thorns and briers??That is the path of righteousness,?Though after it but few enquires.
"And see ye na yon bonny road,?That winds about the ferny brae??That is the way to fair Elfland,?Where you and I this night maun gae.
"But, Thomas, ye maun hauld your tongue,?Whatever you may hear or see;?For if ye speak word in Elfin land,?Ye'll ne'er win back to your ain countrie!"
O they rade on, and further on,?And they waded through rivers aboon the knee,?And they saw neither sun nor moon,?But they heard the roaring of a sea.
It was mirk mirk night, there was nae stern-light,?And they waded through red blude to the knee;?For a' the blude that's shed on earth,?Kins through the springs o' that countrie.
Syne they came to a garden green,?And she pu'd an apple frae a tree--?"Take this for thy wages, True Thomas;?It will give thee the tongue that can never lie!"
"My tongue is my ain!" True Thomas he said,?"A gudely gift ye wad gie to me!?I neither douglit to buy nor sell,?At fair or tryste where I may be.
"I dought neither speak to prince nor peer,?Nor ask for grace from fair ladye!"?"Now hauld thy tongue, Thomas!" she said?"For as I say, so must it be."
He has gotten a coat of the even claith,?And a pair o' shoon of the velvet green;?And till seven years were come and gane,?True Thomas on earth was never seen.

THE ELFIN KNIGHT.
The Elfin knight stands on yon hill;?(Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,)?Blawing his horn baith loud and shrill,?(And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)
"If I had the horn that I hear blawn,?(Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,)?And the bonnie knight that blaws the horn!"?(And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)
She had na sooner thae words said;?(Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,)?Than the Elfin knight cam' to her side:?(And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)
"Thou art too young a maid," quoth he,?(Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,)?"Married wi' me you ill wad be."?(And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)
"I hae a sister younger than me;?(Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,)?And she was married yesterday."?(And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)
"Married to me ye shall be nane;?(Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,)?Till ye mak' me a sark without a seam;?(And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)
"And ye maun shape it, knifeless, sheerless,?(Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,)?And ye maun sew it, needle-threedless;?(And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)
"And ye maun wash it within a well,?(Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,)?Whaur dew never wat, nor rain ever fell,?(And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)
"And ye maun dry it upon a thorn,?(Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,)?That never budded sin' Adam was born."?(And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)
"O gin that kindness I do for thee;?(Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,)?There's something ye maun do for me.?(And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)
"I hae an acre o' gude lea-land,?(Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,)?Between the saut sea and the strand;?(And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)
"Ye'll plough it wi' your blawing horn,?(Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,)?And ye will sow it wi' pepper corn,?(And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)
"And ye maun harrow't wi' a single tyne,?(Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,)?And shear it wi' a sheep's shank bane;?(And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)
"And bigg a cart o' lime and stane,?(Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,)?And Robin Redbreast maun trail it hame,?(And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)
"And ye maun barn it in a mouse-hole,?(Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,)?And ye maun thresh it in your shoe sole;?(And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)
"And ye maun winnow it wi' your loof,?(Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,)?And ye maun sack it in your glove;?(And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)
"And ye maun dry it, but candle or coal,?(Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,)?And ye maun grind it, but quern or mill;?(And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)
"When ye hae done, and finish'd your wark,?(Blaw, blaw, blaw winds, blaw,)?Then come to me, and ye'se get your sark!"?(And the wind has blawn my plaid awa'.)

LADY ISOBEL AND THE ELF-KNIGHT.
There cam' a bird out o' a bush,?On water for to dine,?An' sighing sair, says