| Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. (1863–1944). The Oxford Book of Ballads. 1910. |
| |
| 65. Edward, Edward |
| |
| |
I
‘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 ki’d my hawk sae gude, | 5 |
| Mither, mither; | |
| O I hae kill’d my hawk sae gude, | |
| And I had nae mair but he, O.’ | |
| |
II
‘Your hawk’s blude was never sae red, | |
| Edward, Edward; | 10 |
| Your hawk’s blude was never sae red, | |
| My dear son, I tell thee, O.’— | |
| ‘O I hae kill’d my red-roan steed, | |
| Mither, mither; | |
| O I hae kill’d my red-rian steed, | 15 |
| That erst was sae fair and free, O.’ | |
| |
III
‘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.’— | 20 |
| ‘O I hae kill’d my father dear, | |
| Mither, mither; | |
| O I hae kill’d my father dear, | |
| Alas, and wae is me, O!’ | |
| |
IV
‘And whatten penance will ye dree for that, | 25 |
| Edward, Edward? | |
| Whatten penance will ye dree for that? | |
| My dear son, now tell me, O.’— | |
| ‘I’ll set my feet in yonder boat, | |
| Mither, mither; | 30 |
| I’ll set my feet in yonder boat, | |
| And I’ll fare over the sea, O.’ | |
| |
V
‘And what will ye do wi’ your tow’rs and your ha’, | |
| Edward, Edward? | |
| And what will ye do wi’ your tow’rs and your ha’, | 35 |
| 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.’ | 40 |
| |
VI
‘And what will ye leave to your bairns and your wife, | |
| Edward, Edward? | |
| And what will ye leave to your bairns and your wife, | |
| When ye gang owre the sea, O?’— | |
| ‘The warld’s room: let them beg through life, | 45 |
| Mither, mither; | |
| The warld’s room: let them beg through life; | |
| For them never mair will I see, O.’ | |
| |
VII
‘And what will ye leave to your ain mither dear, | |
| Edward, Edward? | 50 |
| 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: | 55 |
| Sic counsels ye gave to me, O!’ | |
| | | GLOSS: dule ye dree] grief you suffer. |
|
| |
|
|
|
