| THERE lived a wife at Usher's well, | |
| And a wealthy wife was she; | |
| She had three stout and stalwart sons, | |
| And sent them o'er the sea. | |
| |
| They hadna been a week from her, | 5 |
| A week but barely ane, | |
| When word came to the carline wife | |
| That her three sons were gane. | |
| |
| They hadna been a week from her, | |
| A week but barely three, | 10 |
| When word came to the carline wife | |
| That her sons she'd never see. | |
| |
| 'I wish the wind may never cease. | |
| Nor fashes in the flood, | |
| Till my three sons come hame to me, | 15 |
| In earthly flesh and blood!' | |
| |
| It fell about the Martinmas, | |
| When nights are lang and mirk, | |
| The carline wife's three sons came hame, | |
| And their hats were o' the birk. | 20 |
| |
| It neither grew in syke nor ditch, | |
| Nor yet in ony sheugh; | |
| But at the gates o' Paradise | |
| That birk grew fair eneugh. | |
| |
| 'Blow up the fire, my maidens! | 25 |
| Bring water from the well! | |
| For a' my house shall feast this night, | |
| Since my three sons are well.' | |
| |
| And she has made to them a bed, | |
| She 's made it large and wide; | 30 |
| And she 's ta'en her mantle her about, | |
| Sat down at the bedside. | |
| |
| Up then crew the red, red cock, | |
| And up and crew the gray; | |
| The eldest to the youngest said. | 35 |
| ''Tis time we were away.' | |
| |
| The cock he hadna craw'd but once, | |
| And clapp'd his wings at a', | |
| When the youngest to the eldest said, | |
| 'Brother, we must awa'. | 40 |
| |
| 'The cock doth craw, the day doth daw, | |
| The channerin' worm doth chide; | |
| Gin we be miss'd out o' our place, | |
| A sair pain we maun bide.' | |
| |
| 'Lie still, lie still but a little wee while, | 45 |
| Lie still but if we may; | |
| Gin my mother should miss us when she wakes, | |
| She'll go mad ere it be day.' | |
| |
| 'Fare ye weel, my mother dear! | |
| Fareweel to barn and byre! | 50 |
| And fare ye weel, the bonny lass | |
| That kindles my mother's fire!' | |
