| |
I
ABOUT Yule, when the wind blew cule, | |
| And the round tables began, | |
| O there is come to our King’s court | |
| Mony a well-favor’d man. | |
| |
II
The Queen luikt owre the castle-wa’ | 5 |
| Beheld baith dale and down, | |
| And there she saw Young Waters | |
| Come riding to the town. | |
| |
III
His footmen they did rin before, | |
| His horsemen rade behind; | 10 |
| Ane mantel of the burning gowd | |
| Did keip him frae the wind. | |
| |
IV
Gowden-graith’d his horse before, | |
| And siller-shod behind; | |
| The horse Young Waters rade upon | 15 |
| Was fleeter than the wind. | |
| |
V
Out then spak’ a wylie lord, | |
| Unto the Queen said he: | |
| ‘O tell me wha ’s the fairest face | |
| Rides in the company?’— | 20 |
| |
VI
‘I’ve sene lord, and I’ve sene laird, | |
| And knights of high degree, | |
| Bot a fairer face than Young Waters’ | |
| Mine eyne did never see.’ | |
| |
VII
Out then spake the jealous King, | 25 |
| And an angry man was he: | |
| ‘O if he had bin twice as fair, | |
| You micht have excepted me. | |
| |
VIII
You’re neither laird nor lord,’ she says, | |
| ‘But the King that wears the crown; | 30 |
| There is not a knight in fair Scotland | |
| But to thee maun bow down.’ | |
| |
IX
For a’ that she cou’d do or say, | |
| Appeas’d he wad nae bee, | |
| But for the words which she had said, | 35 |
| Young Waters he maun dee. | |
| |
X
They hae ta’en Young Waters, | |
| And put fetters to his feet; | |
| They hae ta’en Young Waters, and | |
| Thrown him in dungeon deep. | 40 |
| |
XI
‘Aft have I ridden thro’ Stirling town, | |
| In the wind but and the weet; | |
| But I neir rade thro’ Stirling town | |
| Wi’ fetters at my feet. | |
| |
XII
‘Aft have I ridden thro’ Stirling town, | 45 |
| In the wind but and the rain; | |
| But I neir rade thro’ Stirling town | |
| Neir to return again.’ | |
| |
XIII
They hae ta’en to the heiding-hill | |
| His young son in his craddle; | 50 |
| And they hae ta’en to the heiding-hill | |
| His horse but and his saddle. | |
| |
XIV
They hae ta’en to the heiding-hill | |
| His lady fair to see; | |
| And for the words the Queen had spoke | 55 |
| Young Waters he did dee. | |
| | | GLOSS: graith’d] harnessed. |
|
| |
