14.

With her fingers lang and sma'

She lifted up the pin, And with her arms lang and sma'

Received the baby in.

15.

'Gae back, gae back now, Sweet Willie, And comfort your fair lady; For where ye had but ae nourice, Your young son shall hae three.'

16.

Willie he was scarce awa', And the lady put to bed, When in and came her father dear: 'Make haste, and busk the bride.'

17.

'There's a sair pain in my head, father, There's a sair pain in my side; And ill, O ill, am I, father, This day for to be a bride.'

18.

'O ye maun busk this bonny bride, And put a gay mantle on; For she shall wed this auld French lord, Gin she should die the morn.'

19.

Some put on the gay green robes, And some put on the brown; But Janet put on the scarlet robes, To shine foremost throw the town.

20.

And some they mounted the black steed, And some mounted the brown; But Janet mounted the milk-white steed, To ride foremost throw the town.

21.

'O wha will guide your horse, Janet?

O wha will guide him best?'

'O wha but Willie, my true love?

He kens I lo'e him best.'

22.

And when they cam' to Marie's kirk, To tye the haly ban', Fair Janet's cheek looked pale and wan, And her colour gaed and cam'.

23.

When dinner it was past and done, And dancing to begin, 'O we'll go take the bride's maidens, And we'll go fill the ring.'

24.

O ben then cam' the auld French lord, Saying, 'Bride, will ye dance with me?'

'Awa', awa', ye auld French Lord, Your face I downa see.'

25.

O ben then cam' now Sweet Willie, He cam' with ane advance: 'O I'll go tak' the bride's maidens, And we'll go tak' a dance.'

26.

'I've seen ither days wi' you, Willie, And so has mony mae, Ye would hae danced wi' me mysel', Let a' my maidens gae.'

27.

O ben then cam' now Sweet Willie, Saying, 'Bride, will ye dance wi' me?'

'Aye, by my sooth, and that I will, Gin my back should break in three.'

28.

She had nae turned her throw the dance, Throw the dance but thrice, Whan she fell doun at Willie's feet, And up did never rise.

29.

Willie's ta'en the key of his coffer, And gi'en it to his man: 'Gae hame, and tell my mother dear My horse he has me slain; Bid her be kind to my young son, For father has he nane.'

30.

The tane was buried in Marie's kirk, And the tither in Marie's quire; Out of the tane there grew a birk, And the tither a bonny brier.

[Annotations: 5.4: 'jo,' sweetheart.

15.3: 'nourice,' nurse.

16.4: 'busk,' dress.

24.1: 'ben,' into the house.

24.4: 'downa,' like not to.]

BROWN ADAM

+The Text+ is given from the Jamieson-Brown MS. It was first printed by Scott, with the omission of the second stanza--perhaps justifiable--and a few minor changes. He notes that he had seen a copy printed on a single sheet.

+The Story+ has a remote parallel in a Danish ballad, extant in manuscripts of the sixteenth century and later, _Den afhugne Haand_. The tale is told as follows. Lutzelil, knowing the evil ways of Lawi Pederson, rejects his proffered love. Lawi vows she shall repent it, and the maiden is afraid for nine months to go to church, but goes at Easter. Lawi meets her in a wood, and repeats his offer. She begs him to do her no harm, feigns compliance, and makes an assignation in the chamber of her maids. She returns home and tells her father, who watches for Lawi. When he comes and demands admission, she denies the assignation. Lawi breaks down the door, and discovers Lutzelil's father with a drawn sword, with which he cuts off Lawi's hand.

The reason for objecting to the second stanza as here given is not so much the inadequacy of a golden hammer, or the unusual whiteness of the smith's fingers, but the rhyme in the third line.

BROWN ADAM

1.

O wha woud wish the win' to blaw, Or the green leaves fa' therewith?

Or wha wad wish a leeler love Than Brown Adam the Smith?

2.

His hammer's o' the beaten gold, His study's o' the steel, His fingers white are my delite, He blows his bellows well.

3.

But they ha' banish'd him Brown Adam Frae father and frae mither, An' they ha' banish'd him Brown Adam Frae sister and frae brither.

4.

And they ha' banish'd Brown Adam Frae the flow'r o' a' his kin; An' he's biggit a bow'r i' the good green wood Betwen his lady an' him.

5.

O it fell once upon a day Brown Adam he thought lang, An' he woud to the green wood gang, To hunt some venison.

6.

He's ta'en his bow his arm o'er, His bran' intill his han', And he is to the good green wood, As fast as he coud gang.

7.