Francis James Child

“ And oh, but they were sweet!'
'The deil tak you, ye silly auld wife,
And an ill death may ye dee!
For your dochter was lyin wi the book in her arms,
And she's praying for you and me.'
The auld wife still standin no far by,
Still hearin a word, she said,
'Ye may say as ye like, ye silly auld man,
There's a man in oor dochter's bed.'
I dinna ken what's taen the auld wife's fit,
But into the creel she flew;
The young clerk ['s brither] being at the chimney-top,
He found the creel was fu. ”

“ A
=
A FAIR young may went up the street,
Some white-fish for to buy,
And a bonnie clerk's faen in love wi her,
And he's followed her by and by, by,
And he's followed her by and by.
'O where live ye, my bonnie lass,
I pray thee tell to me ”