Francis James Child

“ And I fear death is her guide.
'You'll seddle to me the black, the black,
You'll seddle to me the brown,
Till I ride on to Annie's bower
And see how she is bune.'
When he came to Fair Annie's bower,
And lighted and gaed in,
. . . . . .
. . . . . ”

“ Thou mightest have had as fair a woman
As ever trod on the ground.'
'Despise her not, Fair Ellin,' he sayd,
'Despise her not now unto mee;
For better I love thy little finger
Than all her whole body.'
This browne bride had a little penknife,
That was both long and sharp,
And betwixt the short ribs and the long
Prickd Fair Ellinor to the heart.
'Oh Christ now save thee,' Lord Thomas he said,
'Methinks thou lookst wondrous wan;
Thou wast usd for to look with as fresh a colour
As ever the sun shin'd on.'
'Oh art thou blind, Lord Thomas?' she sayd,
'Or canst thou not very well see? ”

“ Twenty will be your fae;'
'But prove it gude, or prove it bad,
To Willie's wedding I'll gae.
'I'll na put on the grisly black,
Nor yet the dowie green,
But I'll put on a scarlet robe
To sheen like onie queen.'
She's orderd the smiths to the smithy,
To shoe her a riding steed;
She has orderd the tailors to her bouer,
To dress her a riding weed. ”

“ The last words that Sweet Willie spak,
His heart was almaist gane;
'May never a young man like me
Have sic a sad wedding.
'For gear will come, and gear will gang,
And gear's ae but a lend,
And monie a ane for warld's gear
A silly brown bride brings hame.'
And monie a ane for warld's gear
A silly brown bride brings hame.'
Sweet Willie was buried in Mary's kirk,
And Annie in Mary's quire,
And out o the ane there grew a birk,
And out o the ither a brier. ”

“ An a' man boun to bed,
Sweet Willie and the nut-brown bride
In a chamber were laid.
But up and wakend him Sweet Willie
Out of his dreary dream:
'I dreamed a dream this night,
God read a' dream to guid!
'That Fair Annies bowr was full of gentlemen,
An herself was dead ”

“ Lord Thomas he had a sword by his side,
As he walked about the hall;
He cut off his bride's head from her shoulders,
And he threw it against the wall.
He set the hilte against the ground,
And the point against his heart;
There was never three lovers that ever met
More sooner they did depart.
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Sweet Willie and Fair Annie
Sat a' day on a hill,
And though they had sitten seven year,
They neer wad had their fill. ”

“ An a sick man lay he down;
An ben came Willie's auld mither,
An for nae gude she came.
* * * *
'It's if ye marry Fair Annie,
My malison ye's hae;
But if ye marry the nut-brown may,
My blessin an ye's hae.'
'Mother, for your malison,
An mother, for your wis,
It's I will marry the nut-brown may,
. . . . .
. . . . .
. . . . . ”

“ Since ye wald neer take mine;
The woman shall never have the hand
That I'll touch after thine.
'An I will kiss your mouth, Annie,
Since ye will never kiss mine;
The woman shall never have the lips
That I'll kiss after thine.
* * * *
. . . . .
. . . . .
'As much breid ye deal at Annie's dairgie
Tomorrow ye's deal at mine.'
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I
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Fair Annie an Sweet Willie
Sat a' day on yon hill ”