Child Waters

" I warn ye all, ye gay ladies,
That wear scarlet an brown,
That ye dinna leave your father's house,
To follow young men frae town."

" O here am I, a lady gay,
That wears scarlet an brown,
Yet I will leave my father's house,
An follow Lord John frae the town."

Lord John stood in his stable-door,
Said he was bound to ride;
Burd Ellen stood in her bowr-door,
Said she 'd rin by his side.

He 's pitten on his cork-heeld shoone,
An fast awa rade he;
She 's clade hersel in page array,
An after him ran she.

Till they came till a wan water,
An folks do ca it Clyde;
Then he's lookit oer his left shoulder,
Says, Lady, can ye wide?

" O I learnt it i my father house,
An I learnt it for my weal,
Wenneer I came to a wan water,
To swim like ony eel."

But the firstin stap the lady stappit,
The water came til her knee;
" Ohou, alas!" said the lady,
" This water 's oer deep for me."

The nextin stap the lady stappit,
The water came till her middle;
An sighin says that gay lady,
I 've wat my gouden girdle.

The nextin stap the lady stappit,
The water came till her pap;
An the bairn that was in her twa sides
For caul begane to quake.

" Lye still, lye still, my ain dear babe,
Ye work your mither wae;
Your father rides on high horse-back,
Cares little for us twae."

O about the midst o Clyden water
There was a yeard-fast stane;
He lightly turnd his horse about,
An took her on him behin.

" O tell me this now, good Lord John,
An a word ye dinna lee,
How far it is to your lodgin,
Whare we this night maun be?"

" O see you nae you castle, Ellen,
That shines sae fair to see?
There is a lady in it, Ellen,
Will sunder you an me.

" There is a lady in that castle
Will sunder you and I:"
" Betide me well, betide me wae,
I sal go there an try."

" O my dogs sal eat the good white bread,
An ye sal eat the bran;
Then will ye sigh, an say, alas!
That ever I was a man!"

" O I sal eat the good white bread,
An your dogs sal eat the bran;
An I hope to live an bless the day,
That ever ye was a man."

" O my horse sal eat the good white meal,
An ye sal eat the corn;
Then will ye curse the heavy hour
That ever your love was born."

" O I sal eat the good white meal,
An your horse sal eat the corn;
An I ay sall bless the happy hour
That ever my love was born."

O four an twenty gay ladies
Welcomd Lord John to the ha,
But a fairer lady then them a'
Led his horse to the stable sta.

An four an twenty gay ladies
Welcomd Lord John to the green,
But a fairer lady than them a'
At the manger stood alane.

Whan bells were rung, an mass was sung,
An a' men boun to meat,
Burd Ellen at a bye-table
Amo the foot-men was set.

" O eat an drink, my bonny boy,
The white bread an the beer:"
" The never a bit can I eat or drink,
My heart 's sae full of fear."

" O eat an drink, my bonny boy,
The white bread an the wine:"
" O I canna eat nor drink, master,
My heart 's sae full of pine."

But out it spake Lord John's mother,
An a wise woman was she:
" Whare met ye wi that bonny boy,
That looks sae sad on thee?

" Sometimes his cheek is rosy red,
An sometimes deadly wan;
He 's liker a woman big wi bairn,
Than a young lord's serving man."

" O it makes me laugh, my mother dear,
Sic words to hear frae thee;
He is a squire's ae dearest son,
That for love has followd me.

" Rise up, rise up, my bonny boy,
Gi my horse corn an hay:"
" O that I will, my master dear,
As quickly as I may."

She 's taen the hay under her arm,
The corn intill her han,
An she 's gane to the great stable,
As fast as eer she can.

" O room ye roun, my bonny broun steeds,
O room ye near the wa;
For the pain that strikes me thro my sides
Full soon will gar me fa."

She 's leand her back against the wa;
Strong travail seizd her on;
An even amo the great horse feet
Burd Ellen brought forth her son.

Lord John'[s] mither intill her bowr
Was sitting all alone,
Whan, i the silence o the night,
She heard fair Ellen's moan.

" Won up, won up, my son," she says,
" Go se how a' does fare;
For I think I hear a woman's groans,
An a bairn greeting sair."

O hastily he gat him up,
Stayd neither for hose nor shoone,
An he 's doen him to the stable-door,
Wi the clear light o the moon.

He strack the door hard wi his foot,
An sae has he wi his knee,
An iron locks an iron bars
Into the floor flung he:
" Be not afraid, Burd Ellen," he says,
" Ther 's nane come in but me."

Up he has taen his bonny young son,
An gard wash him wi the milk;
An up has he taen his fair lady,
Gard row her in the silk.

" Cheer up your heart, Burd Ellen," he says,
" Look nae mair sad nor wae;
For your marriage an your kirkin too
Sal baith be in ae day."
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